Heart of Sword
by DragonSlayer2526
Summary: Kayami Kishii is no longer the child that she was when she had first arrive to the Kou Empire, she is a fully fledged Ki warrior. Ren Kouen/Kayami Kishii(OC) Ren Kouha/Aaltja Lisku(OC) Ren Koumei/Jasmine Saluja(OC) Judar/Ren Kougyoku Ren Hakuryuu/Kiyo Kishii
1. Prologue

A woman walked by a group of nobles and they watched her as she walked further away from them then they jerked in surprise and fear when the older man that had been following several feet behind her also walked by them...he had glared them down as he passed them.

And once they had turned a corner the noblemen put their heads together and started to whisper.

"I see _they_ had returned from their mission." the first nobleman said.

The second nobleman looked at him and said, "I thought they'd be long for several months..."

"No, apparently the General Commander had summoned them back here for some reason." The third nobleman said.

Meanwhile the woman and man appeared before a large ornate door, which was opened by the guards stationed outside the door. They walked in and kneeled before the man seated at the long table inside the room.

"You summoned us back?" The woman asked as she lowered her head.

Kouen looked over at her and said, "Yes...I want you to remain here, my sister and brother has been nagging about when you are returning." There was a pause and then. "But I trust that the mission that I had sent you now was finished before my command got to you, Kayami and Kaisei?"

The woman, Kayami, inclines her head and said, "Of course, Prince Kouen...as always, I get the job done."

The older man, Kaisei, doesn't reply, he simply remained silent and allowed his princess do the talking.

"Excellent," Kouen said with a smirk. "You may go, I am sure you want to see my younger siblings."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Kayami said as she and Kaisei stand up and walk out of the room. But when they left the room, they separated to go down different paths. Kaisei to clean his weapon and armor while Kayami went to find Kougyoku and Kouha.


	2. Night 1

"Kaya!"

Kayami stopped walking and before she could look over her shoulder to see who it was, she felt something small and lithe slam into her almost knocking her flat onto her face.

"Oof!"

"Hello, Kaya~"

Kayami looked over her shoulder to see that it was Kouha who had jump-hugged her, "Hello, Prince Kouha..."

"We're alone, Kaya! Call me Kou!" Kouha said smiling up at the young woman.

 ** _Flick_**

"Owww, I didn't say hit me!" Kouha released her and slapped his hands over the spot on his forehead where she had flicked him at.

Kayami lowered her hand and said, "No, that's true you didn't but we're not in a safe area for us to act normal."

Kouha pouted at her and said, "So? Everyone knows that I am eccentric and do whatever I want." He wraps his arms around hers and smiles up at her. "Did you get me anything while you were away, Kaya?"

"I might have," Kayami said with a smile. "Since you found me first, I'll give you your gift first then go look for your sister...come on, let's go to your room."

Kouha let's out a whoop before he led Kayami by the arm to his chambers, smiling and chatting to her about what had happened during her time away from them. It had been boring without her here, she had summarized that from his long talk and happy smile.

They finally arrived at his chambers, he pushed open the door and was surprised to see that his servants weren't waiting for him within the room.

"Where's your servants?" Kayami asked as Kouha sat her down on a cushioned bench before he plopped on a pillow in front of her, looking up at her.

"They're running errands for me at the moment." Kouha said with a smile.

"Ah." was all Kayami said before she untied the bag that was tied to her sash, next to her sword before she untied the cloth and unraveled it to reveal a beautifully crafted mirror

"Oooo, beautiful!" Kouha said as he gently took it from her and looked at her then he puts it down next to him before he hugged Kayami, throwing his arms around her neck and burying his face against her jaw.

Kayami smiled and returned his hug, placing her hand behind his head gently.

"I am happy that you're back...it was boring without you." Kouha whispered.

"I am happy to be back, my Prince." Kayami whispered back with a smile.

They released each other and pulled back, Kouha grabbed her hand in both of his and said, "I hope I can find someone to love me as much as you love En, Kaya!"

Her eyes widen in surprise before she smiled at him and leaned forward, gently resting her forehead against his as she closed her eyes but kept the smile at her lips.

"I am sure you will, Kou...and I am sure, she'll be someone worthy of you too."

Kouha smiled at her, happy.

"She better!"

Kayami pulled back with a smile and said, "I'm sure she will...now excuse me, my Prince, I need to give your sister her gift."

"Alright! I'll see you later, Kaya!"

She waved before she walked out of his chambers and goes straight to Kougyoku's chambers. Kayami kept getting looked as she walked by servants and nobles, most likely because she was still in her armor but she ignored the looks and sneers she was used receiving to them.

The Ki Warrior finally reached her destination and knocked on the door, she heard movement from within and then a loud crash. But before she could push open the door to see if she was alright, Kougyoku pulled the door open and laughed a bit sheepishly, her cheeks pink with embarrassment.

"Sorry about that, I was eager to see you that I totally forgot about that bench that I have at the foot of my bed!"

Kayami chuckled and reached to pat her head, smiling at her and said, "That's nice and all but I don't want you to hurt yourself, Princess."

Kougyoku motioned her inside as she said, "It's fine!"

She laughed as she walked into the room and the Princess shut it behind her before she hugs Kayami, laughing.

"I missed you!

"I missed you too but be careful, your present is under my armor." Kayami said with a chuckle and Kougyoku quickly released her, taking a step back as Kayami reached into her chest armor and gently pulled out a bundle of fabric.

She handed it to Kougyoku without saying a word and the Princess took it and untied it before she slowly unraveled it to reveal a beautiful crafted necklace, she never seen a necklace like it before.

"It's so pretty! Thank you!" Kougyoku praised smiling up at her.

Kayami smiled and says, "Thanks...I had to really look hard for you."

Kougyoku goes to put the necklace gently on her dresser before she walked back to Kayami and took her arm, leading her to the bed. Both girls sit down next to each other.

"Did you get my big brothers anything?"

Kayami looked at her before she smiles, tilting her head and closing an eye, "Of course...I need to give Koumei his gift first then I'll give Kouen's his." She had just seen him but they weren't alone so she couldn't give it to him.

"Brother Koumei should be in the library," Kougyoku said. "You can ask where Kouen is when you get there."

"Alright," Kayami said as she stood up. "I'll see you later." She placed a light kiss on Kougyoku's forehead before leaving the room. Before she went to the library, she had to pick up his gift where she had left it outside...it would have died if she had tried to cover it.

She arrived at the library and just walked in, she knew where the Second Prince will be at. And sure enough, she found him near the back of the room bent over some scrolls and reading.

"You better have eaten otherwise I'd have you pinch you."

Silence.

Koumei started to sweat and make himself appear small, which was amusing since he was taller than she was.

 ** _Pinch_**

 ** _Pull_**

"Ow! Let go, Kayami!"

Though it didn't sound like that because she had pinched his cheek and pulled.

"How many times am I going to have to do this until you remember to eat?" Kayami said with a smile, it was misleading because Koumei could see a hint of malice behind it.

"I'll try to remember! Now let go!"

Kayami hummed before she released him, Koumei rubbed his cheek with pain filled tears in his eyes. She then lifted something off the ground and placed it on the table in front of him. Koumei blinked when he meets the beady black eyes of a colorful bird.

"Your gift...it can mimic our words so watch what you say in front of it."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome...now where's your brother?"

Koumei pointed down a walkway between the shelves and said, "He's that way."

"Thank you...and make sure you eat!" Kayami said before she walks off.

The Second Prince watched her leave before he looked away, if he should ever fall in love with a woman and if that woman should return that love he hopes that she isn't like Kayami at all.

Kayami found Kouen where Koumei had said he'd be and watched him read by candlelight before she goes to replace that dying candle with a new one, causing the Prince to look up to see who it was that was disturbing him.

"I know those scrolls are just fascinating but reading in low light is bad for your eyes, My Prince." Kayami said as she pulled away from the candle and clasped her hands in front of her.

"That was quick...did you see all my siblings?"

"Just the ones that I knew where still here when I left...I got you this." Kayami said as she placed a scroll in front of him. "To add to your already growing collection of the Toran scrolls."

Kouen picked it up and opened it, his eyes scanning over the words.

"I don't have this one." he said in a way of thanks.

Kayami smiled at him and says, "Good, I thought so...now if you'll excuse me, it's about time for me to change out of these clothes and rest. I will see you later, My Prince." She bowed before she walked out of the room, heading to her own chambers that was located on the far side of the palace, away from the Royal Family.


	3. Night 2

_**Slam**_

"Kouen, you Tyrant King!"

The slamming of a door was mixed with the sound of a woman yelling, her tone told volumes on how angry she was.

Said man looked up from the scroll he was reading and fixed the woman with a leveled stare, "What?"

"Don't 'what' me! You know why I am here!" Kayami as she stormed over to his desk and slammed her hands down, leaning forward to get into his face. Anyone who would have entered the room at that point, would have thought they were about to kiss but if they would have then looked at their faces they would have noticed that kissing was far these two minds at the moment.

"Is this because I had selected you to train a small group of our soldiers?"

"Yes! You know damn for well that the nobles will kick up a fuss when they learn of this!" Kayami said pushing away from the table to pace in front of it instead. While she didn't mind training the Kou soldiers her people's fighting style, there were nobles here that didn't want her to teach them because she wasn't born here or some other crappy excuse.

"And? This is my choice and I say that you are to start training them today." Kouen said as he leaned back in his chair and clasped his hands together on top of the scroll, looking up at Kayami.

Kayami sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Fine, I'll do it but don't be surprised if certain nobles come to you with bruises that suspiciously look like the blade of a wooden training sword."

Kouen smirked at that but he lost it when he remembered what she had called him when she had first entered the room, "And what's this about a Tyrant King?"

"Oh, it's my new nickname for you." Kayami said with a smile as she walked over to him.

"Why?"

"Because you're a Tyrant and a King," She smiled more and leaned against the table, next to where he was sitting.

Kouen looked up at her silently for a few minutes before he stood up and, with her watching his every move, leaned towards her, getting into her personal space. Now if anyone was to enter the room at this moment, it would really look like he was going to kiss her because of the look on his face and the whole mood that was now in the room.

He watched the various emotions that ran through her face, Kayami was like an open book when it came to her emotions...it was so easy to tell what she was feeling and thinking at every moment. He watched a her cheeks became a crimson color and grew darker as he leaned even closer until his lips was next to her red tipped ears.

"Should I give you a new nickname to call me?" Kouen whispered in her ear causing the girl to shiver in response before she pushed him away, something he knew she would do because she really wasn't used to guys showing interest in her...even if they were just teasing her.

"N-n-no thanks! I'm good!" Kayami stuttered out the first word but gained strength as she spoke more.

She wasn't making eye contact with him, which made him chuckle in amusement causing the young woman to snap her head up in surprise but anger soon appear on her face as she realizes that he was teasing her.

"Damn it, Kouen! Next time you're in the mood to tease a woman like that find another woman!" Kayami yelled at him. "You almost stopped my heart!"

"Why should I when you give me the most interesting reactions?"

"...DAMN TYRANT KING!" Kayami bellowed before she stormed towards the door where she turns to point at him. Her eyebrow was twitching in barely concealed control of her not snapping and straggling Kouen. "You do that again and you'll be sorry!"

And with that she left the room, stomping angrily as she walked away wanting to get away from him as quickly as possible before she tried killing him that. He always teased her like that! Actually it wasn't teasing, more like it was bullying...he always bullied her in new and interesting ways but it ways made her either embarrassed or angry...mostly angry after she got over being embarrassed.

 _Gah! I'm so pissed!_ Kayami thought as she angrily kicked the wall before she stormed off to the training grounds.

If she couldn't physically take her anger out on Kouen then she was going to take it out on her new students until either they or one of his brothers, or even one of his Household members, beg him to stop bullying her.

Let's just say that her students soon learned that if Kayami came to the training grounds angry then it was going to be a very rough and torturous training session that day...and knew who was behind her anger.

The next day, Kayami was in the training yard teaching the hand-picked group that Kouen had given to her to train...damn Kouen. She wore loose black pants and a white top that opened slightly at the top to reveal her bandaged chest, her hands and arms were also covered by bandages. Kaisei was sitting near-by watching her as she taught them their sword style, which was graceful but powerful.

She quickly disarmed her sparring partner and held her wooden sword at his throat, "Never underestimate your opponent...some countries have female fighters and you have to be careful around them, they will exploit any weakness they find. And if you are someone who gets queasy about fighting a girl, I'll be sure to break you of it." Kayami twirls her sword before she helps the man up. "Now do some sword drills!"

"Hello, Prince Kouen...and Prince Koumei and Kouha." she heard Kaisei say from behind her and she looks over her shoulder to see that the three princes and their Household members were standing there.

Kayami placed her hand on her hip while she rested the back of her wooden sword's blade on her shoulder as she walks over to them.

"Hello...came to see the progress of your soldiers?" Kayami asked as she stopped in front of them.

"Yes, how are they doing?"

She shrugged a shoulder and said, "Pretty good, still not used to me though...I don't know if it's because I am a woman or an outsider."

Kouha skipped over to her and wrapped himself around her free arm, pulling it away from her hip. Kayami looked down at him with a small smile on her lips, the only outward sign that she shows in public that she doesn't mind his affections and welcomed them.

"You're having fun~?"

Kayami chuckled and said, "Yes, I am."

Kouha pouted up at her and said, "You should let Kaisei train them! I want to spend time with you before Brother En steals you away from you." He shot Kouen a smile, which he ignores.

"Fine, I'm sure Kaisei would enjoy it." Kouen said.

Kaisei placed his hand over his chest and bows, "Thank you, my Prince...it would an honor."

"Yay! Thanks, Brother En!" Kouha said as he dragged Kayami off. "We'll be off!"

Kayami sent a quick wave over her shoulder before she was pulled out of sight by Kouha. She smiled at him and allowed him to pull her.

"You need to change before we go into town!" Kouha said. "And you need a bath too!"

"I don't stink!"

"No but still, you need a bath!"

She huffed at that and when they reached her chambers she chased him out of the bathing area, she would bathe herself. Kayami quickly bathed and got dressed into a nice robe from her homeland, it was fitted but it could be easily loosened and tucked into her sash if need be.

"Alright, I am ready...let's go." Kayami said as she finished putting her hair into a half ponytail, clipping it into place by a clip that Kouha had bought for her.

Kouha beamed and skipped over to her, grabbing her arm and leading her out. They walked out of the palace, he was now holding her hand as he led her through the busy town. They were walking side by side, Kouha was shorter than she was so it was a sight to see but a sight they were used to. Prince Kouha was always withe either his servants or with Kayami.

The Third Imperial Prince darted from stall to stall, pausing every once in a while to buy something that he could use on Kayami. She was his one of his dolls after all and he loved dressing her up, something he never showed his older brother...she didn't want him to see her dressed in Kou clothing, especially if she's wearing make up.

Kouha smiled as he remembers that day, little did he know that Kayami was also thinking about that day...

 _Kayami was sitting on a pillow in the center of the room of the Third Imperial Prince of the Kou Empire, Kouha Ren. Said Prince was standing behind her, brushing her long black hair and humming as he did so. Kayami knew that his hobby is beautification and fashion and that was probably one of the reasons why he was so good with women, he knew what they liked and how to deal with them._

 _And speaking of women, his three female attendants, Jinjin, Junjun and Reirei, were pulling Kou dresses out of a closet and showing them to him. Some dresses were taken away while others were gently placed on his bed so that he could put on Kayami after he was finished brushing her hair._

 _Kayami had a calm look on her face, something that would have told anyone who should enter the room at that moment that he had done this to her before and that she was used to this. The three female magicians stood in the corner of the room once they were done doing the tasks that Kouha had told them to do._

 _Kouha placed down the brush and grabbed a beautiful maroon colored dress, motioning to her to stand up. Kayami stood up, she was wearing her white under robe...her outer robe had been taken off as soon as she had entered his room and placed on the bed as well. The Third Prince started to dress her and Kayami silently stood there...like a living doll but she enjoyed it and so did Kouha, this was their bonding time._

 _"Sit down so I can put make up on you and do your hair," Kouha said with a smile._

 _The Ki warrior sat back down on the pillow, making sure to be careful with how she sat since she didn't want to wrinkle the dress. Kouha cupped her chin and tilted her head up so that he can start putting make up on her face. He put eye shadow and eye liner on her eyes, blush on her cheeks and then he painted her lips with a dark red lip paint._

 _"Close your eyes, Kaya...I don't want you to see your reflection just yet." Kouha said as he started to fix her hair. With her eyes close, she could feel Kouha's movement through her other senses...she could also smell him too, he had a scent that was entirely his own._

 _"There...all done, you can open your eyes now." Kouha said as he put the brush down again and stepped back. Kayami opened her eyes and blinked in surprise when she sees her reflection, staring back at her was an unknown woman. The woman lifted her hands and touched her cheek lightly, Kayami felt that touch and knew that the woman in the mirror wasn't a stranger it was her: Kayami._

 _"I can't believe that's me," Kayami whispered. "I don't even recognize myself."_

 _"You're really beautiful." Jinjin whispered._

 _"Yes! Very beautiful!" Reirei said smiling at Kayami._

 _"Only Lord Kouha could do something like this!" Junjun said. "You are lovely!"_

 _Kayami smiled at them and lowered her hands, clasping her hands on her lap, "Thank you so much." She looked at her reflection again, she never wore make up before so she never knew that she would look like this when she did wear it._

 _Kouha clapped his hands together and said, "Let's show Kouen your appearance right now."_

 _"No!" Kayami yelped wiping her head towards him to fix him with a wide eye stare then she blushed when she saw his smirk. She huffed and wiped her head back around, pouting now. "I hate it that you know that how I feel about your older brother..."_

 _Kouha kneeled next to her and poked her cheeks playfully, "You should just say that you 'love' him instead of 'feel'...you're so stubborn~"_

 _"Shut it." Kayami grumbled but she didn't do it meanly or anything, she was embarrassed and annoyed that the one person who knew that she was in love with Kouen was the one person she had originally didn't want to know._

 _Kouha smirked and patted her head, "Okay, we won't show him...for now but I can't promise next time we won't show him~"_

 _Kayami simply huffed before she stood up at his motion and allowed him to take off the dress and then put on a new one on her..._

"Isn't this pretty, Kaya?"

Kouha's question startled her out of the memory and she looked at him to see him holding up a hair pin that was shaped like a flower at the top and had bells attached to the base of the flower.

"It is pretty, Kou." Kayami said with a smile.

"Good!"

He turned and paid for it before he handed it to Kayami, "A gift in return for the one you got me."

"You are always giving me gifts, Kou," Kayami said as she took the pin. "But thank you."

"Someone has to spoil you since neither my brothers, father or your mentor do!" Kouha said as he took her hand once more.

Kayami laughed at that as she allowed him to drag her once more around town, she didn't realize that she needed to do this until Kouha had came with his brothers and taken her away. Kaisei did enjoy training others, more so than she did and Kouha realized that and decided to take her away to have fun.

This is why she liked Kouha, he was always looking out for her.


	4. Night 3

"Ai-ya!"

 _ **Swish**_

 _ **Whack**_

The sound of wood hitting wood echoed across the training grounds as the two combatants pushed away from each other before lunging again and meeting once again in the center, their wooden training swords crossing the middle of their bodies as they struggled to make the other lose their balance and fall back.

Kayami stared furiously into the eyes of Kouen, who had decided to spar with Kayami who had been stroked into a fighting anger by Judar...again.

She gritted her teeth at the mere memory of it...

 _ **Poke**_

 _ **Poke**_

 _ **Twitch**_

 _"Okay! I think that's enough with the cheek poking, Judar!" Kayami said as she slapped his hand away from her face._

 _Judar pouted and rubbed the abused limb, she didn't hit him_ that _hard but he liked to act like that she did to see if she'll give in and let him keep poking her cheek...it doesn't work._

 _"Why are you even poking my cheek?"_

 _"Because it's so squishy," Judar said as he placed his palms of her cheeks and squished them, making her do a fish face. "Bwahaha! You look so stupid right now!"_

 _"Shut up! Just who do you think is making me make this face, you bastard?!" Though it didn't sound as clear as that but he was able to figure it out._

 _Judar smirked at the angry older girl before him as he continued to squish her cheeks together, her eye brow was twitching in anger before she slaps his offending hands away._

 _"Stop it! Gah! Why are you so annoying today?!" Kayami flailed her arms angrily as Judar pointed and laughed at her funny reactions._

 _"Because I can't find the old hag so you're the next best thing for curing my boredom." Judar said smiling._

 _"Stop calling Gyoku an old hag," Kayami said poking his ribs sharply. "And you really need to find something better to do when you're bored."_

 _Judar scoffed and slapped her hand away before he crossed his arms over his chest and said, "No way, you and her are by far the most entertaining people here...your reactions are so funny."_

 _"Damn Sadistic Magi..."_

 ** _Pinch_**

 _ **Pull**_

 _"Ow! Let go, you bastard!"_

 _"That wasn't very nice, Kayami...you should apologize before I pull your cheek off." Judar threatened as he pulled her cheek._

 _"Okay! I'm sorry! Now let go!"_

 _Judar released her cheek with a smirk and Kayami rubbed the poor abused flesh, gah even she didn't pull that hard when she was doing the same thing to Koumei._

 _"See? You're so funny~"_

 _"Seriously though you need to find better things to do when you're bored," Kayami said as she kept rubbing her abused cheek. "And no killing puppies or kittens."_

 _"Why did you have to add that last part?"  
_

 _"Because that's something you would do."_

 _"You're so rude...why do I let you live?"_

 _"Because, and I quote, 'You'll be bored without me with just Kougyoku relieving your boredom'." Kayami said making air quotes with her fingers as she spoke._

 _"Ah, that's right." Judar said snapping his fingers when he remembered saying that to her once when she had asked him why he only threatened to kill her for her rudeness and not actually carry it out._

 _They were silent as Judar went back to poking Kayami's cheek, she allowed him to do it without complaining as she thought about their relationship...which was really weird, they had this weird older sister and younger brother bond...if the young brother was a homicidal, sadistic war loving brother like Judar._

 _"Hey, Judar?"_

 _"Hm?"_

 _"Am I your toy or friend?"_

 _"I don't have any friends so you're my toy."_

 _Kayami hummed at that but doesn't respond any further, she knew that he would say that but in reality he most likely did view her as a friend but he just didn't want to admit it out loud._

 _"Why?"_

 _"Nothing I was just wondering..."_

 _Judar just shrugged and goes back to poking her cheek before she got fed up with it, she reached down to the basket next to her and proceeded to shove a cooked peach slice into his mouth...something she had cooked before for Gyoku and Kouha once because they wanted to try the sweet treat from her homeland but Judar had stolen some and tried them and ever since then he had been nagging her to cook them for him._

 _He ate the fruit that she had shoved into his mouth, "Hey! That hurt! You could have choked me!"_

 _Kayami stared at him before she said, "You couldn't have choked with that small of a slice, Judar."_

 _"Whatever...just don't do it again!"_

 _"Fine, fine...just eat your peach slices before they get cold and I have to hear you complain about them getting cold." Kayami said as she hands him the small basket._

 _"I don't complain." Judar said before he started to eat the slices._

 _Kayami choose to ignore the comment, she didn't want him to go back to poking her just because she didn't agree with his 'I don't complain' comment...which was a lie and they both knew it, or at least she did, Judar would, like the thing about Gyoku and her being his friends, not admit it and deny it until his dying day._

Of course he had to ruin that peaceful moment by almost freezing her after he ate all the snacks she had made for him...ungrateful bastard.

Nobody else wanted to spar with her so Kouen had volunteered to help her cool her anger down by having a aggressive sparring match. So they both donned Kou sparring clothes and grabbed wooden practice swords because sparring with really swords was just asking for trouble...either of them could afford fighting with only one arm.

Kayami leapt back and got into a ready stance, Kouen doing the same before they lunged again but this time they kept at each other. Striking and slashing at each other but they were able to block most of the blows though there were a few that got past their defenses. But they didn't let that stop them, the goal was to disarm one of them and to knock them flat on their back.

Kouen was surprised on how well Kayami could fight with a sword, of course he had seen her fight on the battlefield before but to actually have her as an opponent was something else entirely. She fights with swift and precise strikes, with constant shifting in her body stance, similar to a gymnast. Through this, she is able to keep up a continuous attack that leaves little time for countering.

But since he had seen her fight countless times, he had memorized her fighting pattern so he can do this!

He lifted his sword just as she was lifting her and smacked the wooden, solid blade against the back of her hand causing her to drop it because the pain was too great for her to continue holding it before he grabbed her wrist in a firm grip and flipped her onto her back. He then kneeled on top of her and held his sword at her neck in a vertical position.

Kayami panted heavily, her chest straining with each breath she took before she was finally able to speak, "I yield."

Kouen removed his sword and stood up before he gave Kayami a hand getting up, she picked up her sword after she dusted herself off and straightened her clothing.

"You want to continue?"

"Nah, I'm calm now...thanks for helping me, En," Kayami said smiling at him as she took his sword and goes to put it away along with hers. "I really needed that."

"How's your wrist?"

"Eh, it's stings at the moment but there's no broken bones...there'll be a bruise there." Kayami said as she looked at her wrist and rotated it.

"Good, I don't want you to use a broken wrist as an excuse to get out of training our soldiers." Kouen said.

"It would have been your fault if my wrist was broken, Tyrant King." Kayami muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing! I have to go now! Bye!"

And with that she took off running, knowing that if she stayed he would find a way to get it out of her and then he would proceed to punish her for opening her mouth before thinking...they were alone after all.

"Oh! Thanks for the sparring match, En! We must do it again sometime soon!" She had stopped to yell that at him when she was at a screaming distance then she waved bye then she ran off towards her chambers to take a much need hot bath to ease her sore and tired body, humming a happy tune now since she was now in a good mood.

As she walked she thought back on the first time she had met Judar...they were children..

 _Kayami was minding her own business when she was almost impaled by a icicle...for real! She barely dodged the deadly missile though the skirt of her kimono wasn't so lucky and now she had a tear that she was sure Kaisei would lecture her for even though it wasn't her fault._

 _"Hey, that was a good dodge." A voice said from above her causing her to look up. Floating, really like floating in mid air, above her was a small boy who looked to be a year younger than she was. He wore Kou robes of fine, expensive quality._

 _"Oi! Be more careful where you aim that next time! You could have killed someone!" Kayami yelled up at the young boy, shaking her fist at him._

 _"But I didn't kill you so it's fine."_

 _"That's because I dodged it at the last minute!"_

 _"So they better dodge it as well."_

 _"Not everyone will have reflexes like I do, kid."_

 _"Who are you calling a kid? You're a kid yourself."_

 _"And? I'm older than you are so it's my job to make sure you stop this!"_

 _He stared at her silently for a few minutes before he started laughing as he started to float down until until his feet touched the ground in front of her._

 _"What's so funny?" Kayami asked even more annoyed._

 _"You are...you're really interesting, not many people talk to me like that...or have the guts to." The boy said with a smirk._

 _"Who are you that makes everyone act like that then?"_

 _"I'm the Kou Oracle, Judar...who are you?"_

 _It sounded like he could have cared less about knowing her name, it sounded like he just asked because he had been told to or something to that affect._

 _"Kayami Kishii." Then Kayami tilted her head to the side as she stared at him, "Aren't you a little too young to be treated like that?"_

 _Judar shrugged his shoulders at that and said, "I don't mind...I like it since it means that I can do whatever I want."_

 _And as soon as he said that, they both heard someone calling either his name or addressing him as Oracle._

 _"Tsk...and just when I was having fun with you too." Judar clicked his tongue in annoyance._

 _Kayami gave him a look at that but she doesn't comment on it. What fun? They were just talking now..did that mean he was going to do something else to her? She was happy that he was leaving now if that was the case and she hoped that she wasn't going to see him again._

 _"Hey, girl...I'll see you later, okay?" Judar said with a smirk before he walked off as soon as two cloaked men walk around the corner and took him somewhere else. Leaving Kayami standing there as she thought about what he had just said._

 _"And there goes the happiness that I felt when I thought that I wasn't going to see him again..." Kayami muttered as she headed back to her room, hopefully she would be able to fix this tear before Kaisei found out about it._

And ever since that day, Judar had been harassing her keeping Kayami on her toes because he wanted to keep her in shape...seriously though throwing really sharp icicles at her wasn't keeping her in shape, yeah it helped keep her agile and flexible but still it was dangerous and would kill a normal person.

Which she thinks is why he does it in the first place...


	5. Night 4

_**Twitch Twitch**_

Kayami's eyebrow was twitching with annoyance and barely contained anger...now you must be wondering why she was annoyed and angry. The reasoning is very simply and that reason why is because Kouen seemed to be a mood to harass and bully her.

Not the sort of attention that she had wanted to receive from him and she wasn't a masochist into taking enjoyment from this sort of attention. She may be in love with the man but it didn't mean she had to take everything he did to her.

"You're boring me...where's those sharp tongue responses that you normally give to the Oracle when he bullies you?" He had heard the conversations between her and Judar, which always ended in Kayami yelling at him.

 _ **Snap**_

 _ **Flip**_

"Well excuse me for being boring!" Kayami said as she flipped a table over...luckily one that was empty otherwise Kouen wouldn't have been too happy if she flipped the one that he was at. "But what the hell is wrong with you today?! You've been out of character since this morning and no offense, I want the normal stoic Kouen back! Actually offense was intended! Because you're pissing me off!"

She ended that rant by pointing her index finger at Kouen and poking his chest as she glared at him. Kouen has a smirk on his face as he calmly stared up at Kayami, his household members were silently watching from the sidelines...this wasn't a new scene to them because Kayami always ended up yelling at Kouen for angering her in some form or another. In fact, this was their cue to leave before she started throwing things...they didn't want to be caught in the sidelines of her intense and rarely seen anger but they will be outside as they waited until she calmed down. Kayami wouldn't harm Kouen or his siblings during these bouts of anger but it didn't mean that anyone or anything was safe from her.

"My, my what a short temper...I can see why you haven't married yet." Kouen said.

"Shut your mouth!" Kayami yelled. "My not being married isn't a part of this so don't bring it up!" Her cheeks were now red with embarrassment mixed in with anger.

"Oh? I think it should be brought up since every time I see you, you're always yelling." Kouen said smoothly.

"And who do you think always triggers that yelling?! Uh?!" Kayami asked. "Because let me just say this! It's not your siblings!" She was really getting pissed off now and Kouen seemed to be enjoying winding her up.

"You better calm down, Kayami, or you'll pop a blood vessel...or give yourself a heart attack."

"And we'll know who to blame if I do, won't we?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"The hell you don't!"

"Such language...are you sure you're a Princess?"

"Drop dead!"

"Is that any way to talk to your King?"

"King'? Ha! All I see is a bully and a tyrant!" Kayami said huffing and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sometimes I wonder why I keep you around..."

"Because life here will be boring without me and you're siblings will miss me!" Kayami snapped. "And let's not forget the fact that we don't have a choice in that matter either! Otherwise I would have been packed and on my way back home by now!"

She shook her fist at him, glaring at him.

Kouen smiled at her then and she twitched and back away, afraid and calm now...it never bode well for her whenever he smiled. It always meant that he was going to do something she wasn't going to like.

"I think I like it better when you're showing your true emotions and don't have that emotionless, polite mask that you wear when you're front of our retainers and mother." Kouen said looking up at her.

Silence

 _ **Twitch**_

"Is that what you were doing all day?!" Kayami yelled, pissed again because of his reasoning for bullying her all day. "You could have just said something instead of bulling me, you know! It would have been a lot easier for everyone around us as well as us if you did!" She pauses to catch her breath before adding. "And you should know why I have to act like that too!" Otherwise if she acted how she normally acted with the ones she cared about in front of that woman and her creepy followers, that Empress Bitch would have found a way to send her back to her homeland in order to keep Kayami from them and to make sure that she wouldn't be able to do anything to help them should the Empress decide to harm them in any way. So Kayami pretended that she only cared for them as someone who was only given to them as a political hostage and not as someone who had formed strong bonds with them.

"True but that would have easy and I was bored anyways." Kouen said with a smirk.

"Grrr...you piss me off so much!" Kayami yelled. "I'm not a toy to play with because you're bored! Gah! I'm leaving before I give in to the desire to choke you!" She stormed out of the room, mumbling angrily under her breathe.

Kouen is silent and just sat there until he no longer heard her angry stomps and mutterings then he let's out a soft chuckle, "She's also very pretty when she's flushed with anger...and when she shows other emotions for that matter."

Later, Kayami was lying on top of a roof of the palace with a piece of straw in her mouth. She chewed at the end as she stared up at the sky, watching the clouds float by. With her arms behind her head and her legs bent with one of them crossed over the other.

"Why are you staring into space with a dumb look on your face?"

Kayami felt her temple twitch when she heard Judar's voice and then seconds later, his face appeared in her line of vision staring down at her. She clicked her tongue in annoyance and said, "What? I don't have a dumb look on my face..."

Judar sat down next to her and said, "Whatever...so why are you staring into space?"

"I was thinking..."

"About what?"

"How to kill an annoying Magi."

Silence.

"Did Kouen make you cranky?"

 ** _Twitch._**

"Don't you have anything better to do than annoy me?"

"Nope~ Besides I'm bored with annoying the old hag."

 ** _SMACK._**

"Ow!"

"Stop calling her that."

"Why are you not afraid of me like everyone else?"

"Because I've known you since we were children," Kayami said. "And I know you won't truly hurt me."

"Oh? That sure, eh?"

"Mmhmm." Kayami hummed out as she closed her eyes.

"Ugh, are you going to take a nap?!" Judar said. "I didn't come up here to watch you sleep! I'm going to find someone else to harass!" And with that he leaves and Kayami opened her eyes.

Wow, she didn't think that work but it did.

Now she was able to to think about her and Kouen's relationship...an odd one that it is.

 _Kayami was in Kouen's bedroom...there's a very good reason why she was in there and it's because he had gotten injured on the battlefield...why he didn't use Phenex to heal his wounds was beyond her but here she was, taking care of his wounds. Propped against the chair that she sat on, was her Ki longsword which was in its sheath and she had revealed a hidden secret; its hilt was hollow to store a small vial of healing ointment, which Kayami can access by removing the hilt's pummel. She dipped her finger into the ointment and spread the dab over his shoulder/chest room._

 _Kayami kept her eyes on her hands, she didn't want him to catch her staring at his muscular chest...she knew him well enough that he would tease her about it._

 _"Your hands are cold." Kouen had spoken for the first time in a while, surprising Kayami._

 _"Oh...sorry," Kayami said. "But it helps if my hands are called, I don't want the ointment to get too sticky or wet." She repeatws the process of dipping her finger into the ointment and smearing it on his wound. "There...done." Kayami pulled her hands away and wiped her hands clean before she returns the pummel to her sword._

 _She laid the sword down next to her chair before she looked over at Kouen, "Do you want some water?"_

 _"Yes."_

 _Kayami stood up and goes to pour him a glass of water before walking back and sitting on the bed next to him, "Here."_

 _Kouen sat up slowly and, with Kayami's support, drank some of the cool liquid before lying back down._

 _She watched him silently for a few minutes before saying, "Why didn't you have Phenex heal you?"_

 _He looked at her before he looked away, "Because I forget to and by the time I remembered, it was too late."_

 _"Oh really?" There was that tone again, he could tell that she didn't believe him at all...even though it was true, Kouen was too focused on winning that battle that he had pushed the thought of using Phenex to heal his wounds that by the time he had remembered it was too late and he was already back in Kou Capital so he had called Kayami to his chambers to help heal the wound before he used Phenex to heal it completely._

 _Kouen looked at her again, frowning now, "You don't believe me?"_

 _"Nope...you never do something as foolish as that," Kayami said shaking her head and waving her hand in front of her. "It'll seem to me that you want me to take care of you."_

 _She wasn't expecting him to be able to move so quickly or like that so imagine her surprise when she felt his hand lash out and fist a handful of her top and yanking her towards him until their noses were softly brushing against each other...and she could feel his breath on her lips._

 _"What have I told you about opening that mouth of yours before thinking, Kayami?" Kouen purred out threateningly as he glared down at her surprise face and wide brown eyes._

 _"Y-y-you have told me numerous times, Prince Kouen." Kayami squeaked out, shuddering._

 _Kouen smirked at her fear and now submissive nature, "Shall I punish you now, Kayami?"_

 _Kayami violently shook her head at that, not at all liking the look in his eyes...it never bode well for her, "N-no! I'll try to think before I open my mouth! I swear!"_

 _"Mmm, are you sure?" He leaned a little closer now so that their lips were barely touching, not full contact but if he should lean even more they would be kissing fully._

 _"Y-yes!" She squeaked out again, clenching her eyes close tightly._

 _Kouen stared down at her silently, taking in her quivering, blushing form, he figured that he had bullied and punished her enough before he released his hold on her top and lied back down. "Good, as long as you remember that...you may go now, I can use Phenex to finish healing my wounds."_

 _Kayami couldn't get out fast enough, making sure to grab her sword on her way out, before Kouen's voice made her literally freeze in mid-step out of the door._

 _"You speak before thinking again, I won't let you with just a warning...you will be fully punished, do you understand me, Kayami?"_

 _"Y-yes!"_

 _"Good...now go."_

 _Then she darted out of the room and far away from as fast as she could, she kept running until she reached her chambers. Kayami slammed the door shut and leaned against the wooden surface before she slide down and buried her still flushed face against her knees, wrapping her arms around the top of her bent knees as she struggled to calm her rapidly beating heart down._

He's going to give me a heart attack one of these days _, Kayami thought._ Gah, why does he do this to me? Okay! From now on, I am really going to think before I open my mouth! I do not need to to follow through with those kind of punishments when we are alone!

Gah, she really did thought she'd die of a heart attack when he did that and it had been the first time he had done something like that to her.

Sometimes she just doesn't understand his way of thinking even though she had grown up with him and his siblings. While she understood them, Kouen had always been hard to pin down and he's even more hard to read now that's he's older.

Kayami pulled the straw out of her mouth and flicks it away as she closes her eyes as she remembers the first time they had meet, it had been during a battle...

 _Kayami was standing next to Kaisei, over looking the plains below as the Kou army set up camp on a hill above it. They both wore the armor of the Ki Empire, something that made them stand out from the rest of the army but Kaisei had been adamant about them wearing their own armor and not the armor provided to them by the Emperor of the Kou Empire._

 _She looked up at Kaisei as she grips the hilt of her short bladed katana, since she was too small to use the long bladed one that Kaisei wielded. "When will the battle start, Kaisei?"_

 _Kaisei shifted a little, coming out of the trance that he was in, and looked at the young girl at his side, "Soon we are waiting for some important people to join us."_

 _Kayami just nodded her head to show that she understood before she turned away and walked to her tent, she pushed aside the flap and stepped inside. Her entering the tent awoken the other occupant in the tent._

 _A small fox-like creature lifted his head and chirped when it saw that it was Kayami, standing up and stretching before it jumped off her cot and trotted over to her. "Hello, Enojo...sorry that I woke you up."_

 _She kneeled down and Enojo jumped into her arms, nuzzling his head against her chin causing the young girl to giggle. Kayami walked back to her cot and put the animal back down on her bed, she rubbed between his ears, "We'll be leaving soon so I need to make sure you stay out of sight, okay? No one knows about you yet and I want to keep it that way for a little while longer."_

 _Enojo purred at her before he crawled under her pillow and curled up into the ball, "Good, smart boy."_

 _Kayami smiled and watched the spot where Enojo was before she looked up when she heard the sound of horns going off then the tent flap was pushed aside and Kaisei poked his head inside, "They have arrived...come with me."_

 _She nodded her head and stood up, following after the man that was her mentor as well as her retainer. They stopped at the edge of the crowd of soldiers and retainers who were paying their respects to the important people, which was the Emperor and his sons from what she could see from her small height and through the cracks of bodies before her._

 _"Kayami, go prepare our horses for battle while I go talk to our master." Kaisei said placing his large hand on top of Kayami's head._

 _Kayami nodded her head and ran off towards were they kept their horses tied up, which was near their tents_

 _Her black stallion, Kurodayu, nickered when he saw her as Kaisei's white stallion, Goro, let's out a whinny and stomped his hoof. She could feel their excitement in their movements and tones, Kurodayu and Goro were war horses...they were trained to kill enemy soldiers._

 _Kayami hugged Kurodayu's muzzle to her chest when the large horse lowered his massive head to her level and stroked the side of his head with her hand, "You can feel it, hm? The battle will be starting soon..." She released him and started to put their armor on, which would be on their legs and foreheads. She was putting Goro's armor on when she heard Kurodayu snort and stomp the ground in a threatening manner...something he did whenever a stranger entered his area._

 _She looked over her shoulder and saw a boy with red hair standing there, he was older than she was that much was obvious but he looked to be a little more mature than most boys his age._

 _Kayami placed her hand gently on Kurodayu's side to calm him down after she finished tightening the straps on Goro's front leg armor. "Can I help you...?" She trailed off, a hint for the boy to introduce himself at least._

 _"So you're the Princess from the Ki Empire?"_

 _"Yes, I am...I'm Kayami Kishii and may I ask who you are?" Kayami asked deciding that it would be best if she asked for his name instead._

 _"Kouen Ren."_

 _"Ah! So you're Kouha's, Gyoku's and Koumei's older brother! I was wondering when I was going to met you next." Kayami said with a smile._

 _Kouen doesn't say anything, he just stared at her causing Kayami to sweat drop a bit but she stroked Kurodayu's side one last time before she moved away and walked over to the older boy. "May I ask why you are here?"_

 _"Just wanted to see the girl behind the stories that my younger siblings tell me," Kouen said. "Thank you for playing with them."_

 _"Oh! It's fine! No need to thank me!" Kayami said waving her hands in front of her. "There aren't any kids where I am at so I am grateful that I was able to meet them!"_

 _Again he doesn't say anything, Kouen just looked over at the horses and said, "Your horses don't seem to like people."_

 _"Oh, they like people just fine but they tend to change when a battle is going to happen," Kayami explained. "You see, they are war horse and they have been trained to stomp anyone who isn't on their side...Kurodayu though tends to get very protective of me so that's why he acted like he did."_

 _The older boy looked at her then, taking in her armor and sword. "Will you be fighting?"_

 _"Yes, I am." Kayami said she wasn't going to tell him that she was still a student though, Kaisei didn't trust anyone back at the palace so he was able to get the Emperor to allow him to take Kayami with him to the battle._

 _Kouen opened his mouth to say something else but was interrupted by a horn, the sign to everyone to mount their horses and march to the plains. The older boy bowed and walked off, passing Kaisei who was on his way back to Kayami._

 _Kaisei watched Kouen before he disappeared from his sight before he looked at Kayami, "What did he want?"_

 _"He was curious about me...I think?"_

 _"Mmm, mount your horse," Kaisei said. "We have a battle to fight." He mounted Goro as Kayami does the same though Kurodayu had to kneel so that she could climb onto his back. He stood up and she gently nudged his sides with her heel, causing the war horse to break into a trot as Kaisei quickly does the same._

 _They joined the main Kou army, Kayami could see two small helmeted heads through the throngs of soldiers. So Koumei is here too?_ She thought. _He didn't seem to be much of a warrior, he seemed to be more of the thinking type._

 _She looked away and saw the enemy army heading towards them, she clenched the reins but she kept riding forward. Kayami was afraid, yes but she was taught to not allow it to shut her down and control her. She will fight and survive, war was her life and the way of the Ki Empire..._

Her smile that was once happy as she remembered him as a child, he was so cute, but it turned sad as she remembered what had happened afterwards...

 _After the battle_

 _Kayami was sitting once again on the back of Kurodayu who was carefully picking his way through the body filled battlefield which was drenched in the blood and gore of the dead. Kaisei was a little ahead of her and he would turn every once in a while to make sure that she was still behind him._

 _Once they were clear of the bodies, they pulled their horses to a stop and turn them so that they were facing the carnage._

 _"Remember this scene well, girl," Kaisei began. "And never forget the man whose lives you took on this day, this is the life of a Ki warrior and you must never forget what runs in your blood."_

 _"That's a harsh but true lesson to teach such a young girl, Lord Kaisei." said a voice behind them causing the two Ki warriors to turn around to see who it was._

 _And riding towards them was the First Imperial Prince, Hakuyuu Ren, and the Second Imperial Prince, Hakuren Ren...whom she knew only by sight when she sneaked into the main palace to spy on the ruling family one day when Kaisei wasn't around. The one who had spoken was Prince Hakuyuu who pulled his horse to a stop next to Kayami while Hakuren pulled his to stop on her other side. Kurodayu just snorted and stomped his hind hoof but that's all he does._

 _"Girl? We don't distinguish female warriors from male warriors in our Empire," Kaisei said. "In the Ki Empire both genders are expected to fight in order to protect their homes, future and people."_

 _"Even if said girl is a Princess?" asked a new voice, a voice that Kayami recognized since it belonged to the man who had taken her from her Imperial family. She once again turned in her saddle and smileed in greeting to the newcomer._

 _Emperor Hakutoku Ren was riding towards them and riding behind him was Kouen and Koumei, the Emperor rode over to Kayami and pulled his horse to a stop so that he could pat Kayami's head._

 _"That's right, Kayami is also included because she's a Ki warrior with the blood of the ruling clan running through her body and it's her duty to protect her people." Kaisei said._

 _"Mm, I see..such a heavy burden to put on such a young girl," Hakutoku said removing his hand from her head and looking at Kaisei. "Though I must say, you have trained her well...she fought just as good as a well seasoned warrior."_

 _Kaisei bowed towards the Emperor, "Thank you...you give me great honor."_

 _"Thank you, Your Highness." Kayami said also bowing._

 _"Kaisei, I would like to talk to you in private if you don't mind." Hakutoku said before he rode off with Kaisei close behind. The older Ki warrior didn't say anything to Kayami so she remained were she was, looking out at the ocean of bodies before her._

 _"Is this your first time on a battlefield, Lady Kayami?" Hakuyuu asked her kindly as he placed his hand on top of her head._

 _Kayami looked at him from the corner of her eye and said, "Yes...killed my first man here too."_

 _"You don't seem to be bothered by it." Hakuren said thoughtfully as he looked at her, Kouen and Koumei were looking at her too but they didn't say anything...yet._

 _She sighed and fiddled with Kurodayu's reins, "I froze for a bit when I killed him but I snapped out of it quickly when another charged at me." Kayami looked at Hakuyuu at that moment, her brown eyes glowing with an inner strength and spirit. "I remembered then what my mother used to tell me before her death: 'All men must die on the battlefield but women are destined to die how we want to, not by how man wishes'. And I was able to keep fighting and killing without it freezing my movements and bothering me."_

 _"Your mother seemed to be a wise and interesting woman." Hakuyuu said with a smile._

 _"Mmhmm! She was!" Kayami said with a smile but she loses her smile when she looked back at the battlefield. "But she also told me to pray for the souls of the men whose lives I will take, it's my duty as a warrior and as the person who took their lives."_

 _Then she looked over at Koumei and Kouen then, smiling now. "It's nice to see you again though! I would have thought you would have been busy after the battle." Kayami then looked at Hakuyuu and Hakuren, smiling. "And it's nice to meet you as well." Her tone was now respectful unlike how she had spoken to Kouen and Koumei...and Hakuren noticed it too._

 _"Hey, you don't have to be so formal with us!" Hakuren said as he ruffled her hair in a big brother like manner. smiling._

 _Kayami's eyes widen in surprise at the action and his words, "Are you sure?"_

 _"Yeah! I don't mind if you call me Haku! And I'm sure that Yuu won't mind you calling him 'Yuu'."_

 _Hakuyuu cleared his throat at that and said, "It's up to her, Hakuren."_

 _"Maybe I can call you that when we're alone, Haku." Kayami said with a smile._

 _"Good girl!" Hakuren said smiling and ruffling her hair even more._

 _Kayami pushed his hand off her head and puffed her cheeks in annoyance as she fixed her now messy hair, Hakuren laughed at her response to his actions and called her cute before he and his older brother ride off leaving her alone with their cousins._

 _It was silent at first until it was broken by her stomach grumbling, Kayami flushed in embarrassment. Koumei and Kouen muffled their laughter causing her to blush even more as she sputtered something about her still growing and that's why she was so hungry...it totally wasn't because she had skipped eating before heading off to watch the plains before the battle had started._

 _"Let's go see if we can get any food from the cooks for the hungry girl who forgot to eat because she wasn't thinking." Kouen said with smirk at Kayami._

 _Kayami turned even more red now, a mixture of embarrassment and anger now, "Shut your face, Kouen! I already said that wasn't the case! I'm still growing so that's why I'm hungry now!"_

 _The three young warriors rode off, back to the camp as Kouen and Kayami argued back and forth...well, arguing in Kayami's case Kouen was simply teasing her while Koumei tried to calm the angry Kayami down._

She smiled once more but there was a hint of sadness mixed in, Hakuyuu and Hakuren were well loved and respected by their people and family.

Kayami sat up and stretched hugely, she was calmed down now so she'd check on Kurodayu to see how he was doing and if anyone had bothered him.

"Kaya!"

She jerked in surprise and looked down to see Kouha looking up at her and smiling.

"Yes?"

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" Kouha said.

"Why?"

"I wanted to ask you if you wanted to go horse riding with me?"

"Sure!" Kayami said as she jumped down from the roof and landed in front of him on the balls of her feet.

Kouha smiled at her before he took her hand and started to lead her to the stables. But they weren't even half way there when one of the Empress's Magicians appeared before them.

"Forgive me, Prince Kouha but the Empress wants to talk to Lady Kishii for a few minutes then you can go on your ride." The Magician said with a smile.

Kayami narrowed her eyes at that, how did he know that they were going on a horse back ride but she didn't reply and when she saw that Kouha looked ready to say something, she placed her hand on his shoulder and she shook her head when he looked at her.

"I'll go with you," Kayami said. "Kouha, you get the horses ready."

Kouha nodded his head before he turned and headed towards the stables while Kayami followed after the Magician, silently she refused to speak even when he talked to her.

++

A few minutes later, Kayami was leaving the Empress's private quarters and as she left the woman's area completely her icy mask disappeared and her hidden emotions were revealed. She hated this woman and her thinly veiled threats of having her sent for away from the woman's children were Kayami wouldn't be able to protect them.

She finally arrives at the stables to see Kouha petting Kurodayu's muzzle as the black war horse allowed the touch, which is something he rarely ever does. The horse hated everyone who wasn't her but he had seemed to taken a shine to Kouha, Kougyoku and Koumei while with Kouen he grudgingly tolerated the First Prince. It was amusing really because Kurodayu was an animal version of Kouen if you really thought about it.

"I am still surprised that he hasn't bitten you when you touch his face," Kayami said as a way of letting him know that she was back. "He hates it when people touch his face."

Kouha looked up and smiled at her, "Maybe he knows that I won't hurt him?"

"Maybe."

Kayami walked over to him and patted his head, smiling any anger or sadness she had felt when she spoke to the Empress was hidden deeply inside her...Kouha already didn't like his step-mother/aunt and she didn't want to give him any more reason hate her, his protectiveness of her made hers look pathetic. The last time Gyokuen had threatened to send her away, she had said it in front of Kouha who had then gone on a war path to his older brother and told him what had happened and in turn Kouen had spoken to his father and had told him that he trusted Kayami to protect Kougyoku when he or his brothers couldn't.

In the end, that woman learned to watch what she said when Kayami was with the brothers and sister but it didn't mean that she couldn't summon Kayami to her and threaten her there.

"What did she want?"

"Nothing much," Kayami said. "Now let's go riding."

Kouha grabbed her hand stopping her from mounting her horse and causing Kayami to look at him as he said, "You will tell me if she harms or threatens you, wouldn't you Kaya?"

Kayami stared at him for a few minutes before she smiled at patted his head with her free hand and said, "Of course! You worry to much!"

"I know but I don't want you to leave." Kouha said.

"I can be very stubborn so there's no way I'll be that easy to get rid of," Kayami said. "Come on, let's ride and free ourselves from these sad thoughts!"

Kouha smiled and nodded his head before he released her hand and mounted his own horse as she mounted Kurodayu then she dug her heels into his sides and the black war horse exploded into motion.

"Race you to the edge of the city, Kou!"

"Hey! That's not fair! You got a head start!" Kouha shouted after her as his horse raced after her.

Kayami laughed and said, "Sorry~ But everything is fair in love and war!"

"I really hate it when you say that!"

She just laughed as she urged Kurodayu to go faster causing soldiers, servants and nobles to dive out of the way to avoid being crushed by their horses hooves. This was something she enjoyed to do even more so than sparring, she loved the freedom of horse riding and feeling the wind in her hair and on her face.

Kouha was the only one who liked to ride with her even though it messed up his hair and clothes but he always got Kayami to brush his hair and clean his clothes afterwards since it was her fault after all. She didn't mind because it had became a little ritual between them and gave them a little more time for them to talk.


	6. Night 5

Kayami was up earlier than normal the next day, the only people that were up was the servants as they got the palace ready for a new day. They ignored her as she walked by, not out of rudeness but this wasn't the first time she had done it and they knew where she was heading this early in the morning.

She left the palace and headed towards a secluded area of the forest around the city, arriving at the place that she had made for the former First and Second Imperial Princes. She had made a small version of a temple that her clan uses to honor their dead and inside was a metal container that had oil and a wick in the center. Outside the temple was a candle which she used to light the wick and a soothing scent soon wafted up from the oil.

Kayami clapped her hands before she bowed her head and closed her eyes as she prayed for the souls of the Princes, when she was done she clapped again and raised her head opening her eyes. She looked up at the sky to watch the clouds float by as she leaned against the rock that the shrine was on top of.

She wasn't really watching the clouds, she was in deep in her memories of the two Princes and how she meet with their siblings...

 _Kayami was exploring the garden inside the main area of the palace, she had been brought there by Kaisei who didn't want to leave the girl alone for unknown hours since he had a meeting with the Emperor. So here she was exploring the garden while he had his meeting with the Emperor, bored and lonely._

 _ **Swish Whack**_

 _She stopped walking when she hears a familiar sound, it sounded like a wooden practice sword hitting a dummy...something she herself was doing under the guidance of Kaisei. Kayami switched directions and headed over to where the sound was coming from. She peeked around the corner and saw a young boy standing in front of a practice dummy. Kayami watched his form carefully as he strikes the dummy again before she left her hiding place and walked over to him._

 _"You're holding it too loosely." Kayami said causing the young boy to jerk in surprise and spin towards her._

 _"Who are you?!" He asked._

 _He looked familiar to her...why did she have a feeling that she had seen him before? She mentally shrugged that question away to instead answer his question, "Oh, sorry...I'm Kayami Kishii, I'm a guest from the Ki Empire. What's your name?"_

 _"Hakuryuu Ren." the little boy said shyly._

 _Oh, that must mean he's their younger brother._

 _"It's nice to meet you, Hakuryuu." Kayami said with a smile as she gets closer to him._

 _He smiled at her before he appeared to remember something, "Oh! What did you mean by 'holding it loosely'?"_

 _"Well, if you want to leave visible strikes on that dummy you have to hold it like this, not loosely," Kayami said as she showed him how to hold it, it was tight but not too tight. "The sword is supposed to be an extension of your arm, don't treat it like a sword."_

 _"Okay!" Hakuryuu said as he eagerly listened to Kayami._

 _Kayami chuckled and patted his head, smiling._

 _"Oh? Whose your new friend, Hakuryuu?"_

 _Kayami looked up when she heard a new voice, a girl's, and sees a girl who appeared older than her...and she looked to be Hakuryuu's older sister._

 _"Hakuei!" Hakuryuu ran over to her and hugged her. Yep, she's his older sister alright Kayami could see it in how he acts and that they share similar traits. "This is Kayami! She's showing me how to use to a sword properly!" It was more like showing him how to hold a sword but she wasn't going to correct him, he seemed to be happy that there was someone showing him how to use a sword._

 _"I see...where's Hakuren? I thought he was supposed to teach you?"_

 _"I looked for him but I couldn't find him, Hakuei."_

 _"Sorry, we're late!" A voice said from behind them and all three turned their heads to see who it was. Hakuyuu and Hakuren were walking towards them, it was Hakuren who had spoken._

 _Hakuyuu was the first one to notice the girl who was standing with his younger siblings, "Ah, so we meet again, Princess Kayami."_

 _"You're a princess, Yami?!" Hakuryuu said as he looked up at Kayami with wide eye wonder and amazement._

'Yami'? Pfft, so cute~ _Kayami thought with a inner smile._

 _Out loud though, she nodded her head and said, "Yeah, I'm a Princess...like your older sister."_

 _"More like a Warrior Princess." Hakuren said with a big smile as he patted her head, ruffling her hair._

 _Kayami playfully huffed at him and pushed his hand off her head, which he pouted and whined how the cute little girl didn't want his affection._

 _"So what are you doing here?" Hakuyuu asked ignoring his brother and his antics._

 _"I was exploring while I wait for Kaisei to finish his meeting with the Emperor," Kayami explained. "I heard Hakuryuu practicing so I came over and watched him...then I showed him some pointers on how to hold a sword."_

 _"I see...and who taught you how hold a sword? Lord Kaisei?" Hakuyuu asked._

 _"Nope, it was my older brother who first taught me." Kayami said with a grin._

 _"You have a big brother?" Hakuren asked._

 _Kayami nodded her head as she picked up another wooden sword, showing Hakuryuu how to hold it again. "Yep~ He's older than me...now that I think about it, he's the same age as that Kouen boy..." She trailed off thoughtfully as she thought about her older brother, Kayato Kishii...who was their father's favorite and heir to the Ki throne._

 _"Isn't it Ki tradition that when a soon-to-be-ally comes seeking an alliance that the eldest child of the Ki ruling family to be sent to live with the future ally?" Hakuyuu asked as he watched her interaction with his younger brother, Hakuei was standing next to him smiling._

 _"Mmhmm but he's the favorite so I was sent instead," Kayami said matter of fact. "No one will care what happens to me...expect for my older brother and mother...auntie too!"_

 _She felt a heavy weight on top of her head and looked up into the smiling fact of Hakuyuu, his smile was kind as he stroked her hair gently._

 _"I'm sure that your father loves you just as much, Princess Kayami." Hakuyuu said._

 _Kayami gave him a doubtful look but she doesn't correct him, the First Imperial Prince noticed this and then asked her a question that would later change her life and make her into a skilled warrior._

 _"Do you have something to protect?"_

 _"Something to Protect'?"_

 _"That's right...for me, it's my family and the Kou Empire...same with our father and Hakuren." Hakuyuu explained as Kayami stared up at him. "So what is it that you protect?"_

 _Kayami just stared at him as she tried to understand what he was asking her, when she got older she would immediately know the answer to his question but right now as a child she didn't understand and it showed on her face._

 _Hakuyuu smiled and pulled his hand away, "You will understand that question when the time comes...so for now let's continue the training, okay?"_

 _"Okay!" Kayami and Hakuryuu chorused together, throwing their fists in the air. Both young ones stopped when they noticed this and looked at each other before laughing, the three older ones laughed as well._

 _So Kayami spent the remaining waiting time with black haired Ren siblings until Kaisei came looking for her and eventually found his wayward student and Princess by following the sound of laughter._

Kayami smiled at the memory even though she still hasn't figured out what she wanted to protect, was it the people of the Kou Empire? Or the Kou Empire itself? She didn't know and she wished for the hundredth time that Hakuyuu and Hakuren were still alive so that they would help her.

Then another memory surfaces but this time, she was with a certain red haired prince who was now a stoic person...

 _Kouen was walking in the corridor in the main area of the palace but he wasn't alone, walking a respectful few behind him was Kayami, the First Imperial Princess of the Ki Empire and political hostage of the Kou Empire...though the Emperor always referred to her as his honored guest but Kouen had seen how the other nobles treat her and it didn't look like how one would treat a guest, he has a feeling that the Emperor doesn't know about their treatment of her._

 _He stopped suddenly and she, since she was looking at her feet, crashed right into him but she quickly jerked back and apologized quickly to him, bowing deeply. Even though she knew that he was the eldest son of the Emperor's brother, she still treated him as if it was his father was the Emperor and not his uncle._

 _"It's okay, you didn't harm me." Kouen said as he waved her apologies away._

 _Kayami straightened and smiled up at him, "Good!"_

 _Kouen was surprised by how quickly she seemed to change moods._

 _"And you don't have to be so formal with me either," Kouen said. "I thought I told you this already..."_

 _"Erm...you did, sorry." Kayami said rubbing the back of his head, sheepishly._

 _Kouen sighed heavily and started to walk again, "Come on, let's go somewhere more private."_

 _"Okay."_

 _Kayami followed after Kouen as he led her away from the noisy place for somewhere more quiet. They soon arrived in a small outside enclave were a small table with two chairs where already placed there, Kayami sat down when he motioned for her to sit as he then motioned to two maids for tea._

 _The maids poured two cups of tea before they walked off, bowing but Kayami knew that they wouldn't go too far._

 _"Thank you," Kayami whispered as she took the cup and sipped the hot liquid. "Mm! Good!" She giggled and smiled._

 _Kouen smiled but faintly though so Kayami couldn't really tell if she saw him smile or not._

 _"You can talk normally now, there isn't anyone around to get after you if you talk casually with me." Kouen said._

 _Kayami looked at him with wide eyes before she does a closed eye smile and nodded her head, "Okay!" So that's why he had brought her here, somehow he realized that she was struggling with the new formal way of speaking that she had been told to use when addressing the Imperial family._

 _She looked out at the garden and smiled as she placed her cup down, "Thank you, En, for bring me out here!"_

 _"En'?"_

 _"Yep! Figured that since I called the rest of your siblings and your cousins nicknames that I should give you one too!" Kayami said with a smile then she got upset. "Why? You don't like it?" Kouen literally swore that he saw dog ears and a tail appear on her, when she was happy during the first part of her sentence they were perked up and wagging but as soon as she asked that, they drooped and her eyes became wet and shiny with unshed tears as if he kicked her._

 _"No...it's fine," Kouen said._

 _"Yay!" She beamed and clapped her hands._

Is she a dog? Her moods sure change like a dog's would _, Kouen thought as he watched her. One minute she was happy and smiling and in the next she was sad and frowning, how Kaisei put up with her mood swings was amazing and that man deserved to get a medal for it._

 _"Oh? What's this? Kouen and Princess Kayami spending time together?"_

 _Both youngsters looked up when they heard a familiar voice, both of their reactions were different when they saw that it was the First Imperial Prince and Second Imperial Prince, Hakuyuu and Hakuren. Kouen's was to stand and bow formally to them while Kayami on the other hand took on a more casual approach which was to run up to them and hug them._

 _"Haku! Yuu!"_

 _"Aww! So cute~!" Hakuren hugged her and rubbed his cheek against hers, causing her to laugh loudly at that._

 _Hakuyuu smiled at Kayami before he looked over at Kouen, "Hello, cousin."_

 _"Hello, Prince Hakuyuu."_

 _"Heeey, En...why are you speaking so formally now? I don't think they'll mind if you addressed them casually~" Kayami said with a smile as Hakuren put her down and she trotted over to Kouen._

 _"It's different!"_

 _"No, it's not~it's the same! Besides isn't that hypocritical? Since you told me to address people normally in private but yet you're doing the exact opposite."_

 _ **Smack**_

 _"Ow! That hurt!" Kayami placed her hands on top of her head, where Kouen had smacked her. She could feel the lump beginning to form under her hands as tears welled up in her eyes._

 _"Kouen...you don't hit girls," Hakuyuu said as he kneeled down next to Kayami and gently patted her head. "You must protect them, not bully them."_

 _Hakuren nodded his head in agreement and gently pushed Kouen towards Kayami, "Yeah, you need to apologize."_

 _Kouen looked at Kayami and bowed, "Sorry for hitting you."_

 _Kayami stared at him in silence before she surprised him by hugging him around the neck, "It's okay! I forgive you! Besides I shouldn't have said that, it was rude so I'm sorry too!"_

 _Hakuyuu and Hakuren watched them in silence, smiling before Hakuren got an idea to prevent future scenes like this one from happening._

 _"Hey, Kayami?"_

 _"Hm?" Kayami looked at Hakuren as she released a flustered Kouen._

 _"Do you know why some boys will bully and hit girls when they are your age or Kouen's age?"_

 _"No...why?"_

 _Kouen had a bad feeling when he saw Hakuren's smile but he didn't know why._

 _"Because boys are terrible as expressing their true emotions when it comes to cute little girls so they bully and hit the girls they like~."_

 _"Really?!" Kayami stared up at Hakuren in wide eye wonder before she looked over at Kouen who jerked in surprise. "Yay! I knew En liked me!" She hugged Kouen again, smiling. Then she pouted up at him, "But you really need to find another way to express yourself..."_

 _Kouen sighed and said, "Okay..."_

 _Kayami smiled widely and released him before she trotted over to the two older Princes and hugged them again, "Thank you, Haku! Yuu!"_

 _Hakuyuu smiled and gently patted her head, "You're very welcome, Princess Kayami...we have to go now so have fun."_

 _"Yeah and be nice to her, Kouen...it's the boys job to protect girls!" Hakuren said before he and his older brother walk off._

 _Kouen and Kayami sat back down after waving to them and after they no longer could see them._

 _"Hey, Kouen?"_

 _"Hm?"_

 _"Can we do this again tomorrow and everyday?"_

 _"...Sure."_

 _"Yay!"_

 _Kayami smiled widely at Kouen, happy as she picked up her cup and took a sip of the now warm liquid. They stayed out there until Kaisei had came to collect Kayami for dinner, she hugged Kouen one last time before she skipped away following after Kaisei as he lead her back to the area of the Palace where they lived at...  
_  
She chuckled at the memory, Hakuren seemed to have enjoyed teasing Kouen whenever he was with her after that, which seemed to annoy the red haired boy...she never understood why he would do that though. But Kayami had learned how to save Kouen from Hakuren's teasing though, and that was to sacrifice herself by acting cute in front of the Second Prince.

Let's just say that it worked very well and Hakuren had soon forgotten to tease Kouen in favor of nuzzling and cuddling Kayami.

Kayami closed her eyes as she smiled at the memories of them, that's how they will live on: in their memories and deep in their hearts. With a sigh, Kayami opened her eyes and stood up, stretching. She had been here long enough now it was time for her to go back and watch over the living.

She placed her hand on top of the shrine and whispered, "Sleep well, My Princes..." And with that she turned and walked away, leaving the area behind as she goes to watch over Kougyoku and threaten Koubun when he started speaking his 'thoughts' out-loud again...which was something he tended to do a lot.


	7. Night 8

Kayami was walking through the hall of the Palace carrying several scrolls in her arms, heading back to the private area of Koumei. Kouen, Kougyoku and Kouha had left to investigate a dungeon that had appeared in the Northern Islands, Kayami was left behind to help Koumei...plus avoid the Empress.

She was on an errand for Koumei, he seemed to be helping her avoid his step-mother...aunt...yeah, the whole thing with her was weird since she used to be married to his uncle but when he and his sons died she married his father, the whole thing is weird.

The Ki warrior arrived at the area that Koumei uses to read, it was outside and close to where his birds were. She walked over to him with a smile.

"Here's the scrolls that you requested, Prince Koumei." Kayami said as she placed the said scrolls down next to the Second Imperial Prince.

"Thank you, Lady Kayami." Koumei said when he looks up from the scroll that he was reading.

Kayami smiled as she picked up the scrolls that he had finished reading, "You're welcome, Prince Koumei."

It was silent as she put the scrolls away then she heard Koumei say behind her, "You don't have to be so formal...we're alone at the moment."

She looked over her shoulder at her and smiles, "That's true...sorry, Mei. It's a force of habit now since we're rarely alone with anyone who wouldn't have a seizure about how I should address you." Kayami finished putting the scrolls away and walked back over to him. "And speaking of that, where's Chuu?" Chuu was the nickname that she gave Chuu'un when they were kids, she only called him that when it was just her with Koumei and Chuu'un now though.

"He's doing an errand for me."

"Ah, okay."

Silence.

Koumei could hear the rustle of her clothing moving as she moved around but she didn't say anything as she went through some scrolls.

"Have you eaten, Mei?"

Silence.

Kayami snapped her head over to Koumei who was at the moment trying to make himself small, she sighed and walked over to him.

"That's a bad habit to have...how can one forget to eat?"

"I'm normally too busy to remember that I am hungry..."

 ** _Pinch_**

"Ow! That hurts, Kayami!" Though the last part didn't sound like that clear since Koumei's cheek was getting pinched by an annoyed Kayami but she understood him clearly.

"Good..maybe if you remember this pain then you'll remember to eat!" She released his cheek with a huff before she started to walk towards the door. "Stay here! I'll go get you something to eat!"

And with that she leaves the room, leaving Koumei rubbing his poor abused cheek. He'll pity the man who marries her, Kayami won't let her husband get away with anything while she was around.

He just had gotten back to reading when she returned, carrying a tray with a few dishes on it.

"Good thing the cook wasn't too busy, she made you some food." Kayami said as she walked over to him.

She took away the scroll before she replaced it with the tray of food, "Eat...and when you're done eating, you're going to bed!"

"But I'm not tired..."

 ** _Pinch Pull_**

"Ow! Ow!"

"Oh, I'm sorry but did I ask for some lip from you?" Kayami asked as she not only pinched both of the Third Imperial Prince's cheeks but she also pulled them for good measure. Koumei would later swear that he saw some sort of demon mask appear behind her as she leaned over him and pulled and pinched his poor cheeks. "Oh, look how it stretches..."

"Ow! It's not supposed to stretch like that!"

"Then are you going to bed? Don't think I don't notice how you fall asleep on your feet sometimes!" Kayami said as she continued to abuse his cheeks. "That is another bad habit that is annoying!"

"Yes! Now let go!"

Kayami released his cheeks with a humph and backed away, Koumei rubbed his cheeks with pain tears in his eyes.

"You're worse than a mother hen."

 ** _Pinch_**

"Ow!"

"What was that?"

"Sorry! It was nothing!"

"It have better been nothing..." Kayami said as she released his cheek. "Besides someone has to watch over you...you really have to start thinking about your health, it wouldn't be good if you dropped dead because you forgot to eat or sleep." She crossed her arms over her chest as she closed her eyes, standing next to Koumei.

"I'll try to remember to eat and sleep when I have free time," Koumei said.

"You better or I'll keep pulling and pinching your cheeks until you think they are going to be ripped off." Kayami threatened wiggling her fingers at him.

"I will...Your punishments hurt..."

"They're supposed to hurt! That's why they called punishments, Mei~"

Koumei smiled and started to eat his late lunch, once he was done she took the tray away then she replaced it with the scrolls she had taken away from him. He grateful that there was at least someone who wasn't a member of his family or Household that was watching over him.

Kayami started to clean his alcove and once it was clean to her liking, she made tea for him. She make it in the style of her people, which was interesting to watch. Kayami poured the tea into a cup before she placed it on a small tray and carefully walked over to the table, and placed it near him.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiled at him and tucked the tray under her arm.

Koumei took a sip of his tea as Kayami looked out and watched the birds mill around around the garden.

They were silent for a few minutes before Kayami broke it by asking, "Did they find the dungeon?"

"Yes...and something else." Koumei handed her a letter and she reads it.

"They found a girl? That Kouha almost crushed when he killed a dungeon monster?" Kayami asked as she read the letter. Kouha almost killing someone wasn't surprising, he's done it before.

"Yeah and they are bringing her here." Koumei said.

Kayami placed the letter down, she puts her hands on her hips and said, "Oh? Another loyal follower?" She paused. "Wait...why do I get the feeling that Kouha is behind this?"

"He could be, older brother says that he seemed to have taken a shine to her but Kougyoku had also gone with them so it could be her doing as well."

She made an small 'o' shape with her mouth, that would explain it...Kouha liked strong women and would want this girl to come with him even if he had to kidnap her. Kougyoku, on the other hand, wanted more friends she had Kayami but the older girl knew that wasn't enough for the Princess who had been alone during some of her childhood.

Oh, she hoped he didn't do that...

"Are they on their way back?"

"Yes...in fact they should be riding in now."

"What!? When did that letter come anyways?! In fact never mind, I have to go!"

Kayami ran off to greet Kouha, Kougyoku and Kouen...and their guest. She arrived at the front of the palace, pushing her way through the crowd until she reached the front.

Kouha was the first to see her and he jumped off his horse, running over to her and leaping onto her. He almost knocked her over but she was able to regain her balance and wrapped her arms around him, laughing. Kougyoku also climbed off her horse and ran over to her but she didn't jump onto Kayami instead she simply hugged her.

"Welcome back, Prince Kouha and Princess Kougyoku."

"I missed you!" Kouha said.

"It was boring without you, Kayami!" Kougyoku said.

"Let go of her, Kouha." Kouen said as he got off his horse. "And you too, Kougyoku."

Kougyoku released her quickly at her brother's words and somewhat hide behind Kayami, looks like she was still shy around her older brother...it was cute really but sad.

Kouha pouted before he grabbed her hand and dragged her to a carriage that had been following after them. Kougyoku followed after them, grabbing her free hand after looking over at Kouen but she looks up at Kayami.

"I have someone you need to meet!" Kougyoku said. "I brought her back with us...hopefully she stays."

"Yes...the girl Kouha almost crushed in the dungeon and got wet as well," Kayami said remembering that bit. "You didn't kidnap her, right?" Looking at Kouha when she asked that part.

"Nooo~" Kouha said before he opens the door of the carriage.

"Come on out, Aaltja." Kougyoku said as she looked into the carriage.

Silence.

And then the girl he had brought walked out of the carriage, she looked nervous and wary to be here...Kayami didn't blame her, all the nobles here were jerks and liked to rub it in.

"Prince Kouen! Prince Kouha! Princess Kougyoku."

Ahh and here's one of those jerks now.

"Why did you bring such a savage?! She isn't fit to be anywhere near you! Given how she's dressed!"

Kayami looked at the blonde haired girl with a frown, noticing what she was wearing. It was a short dress but Kayami didn't see the problem, given the fact that she had shown Kouha and Kougyoku what her clan wears...she would rather die first than to show Kouen. Kougyoku looked at the noble with a frown but she didn't say anything, while she was a Princess she felt that she wouldn't be taken serious because of her mother.

"What's your point?" Kayami asked as she looked away and at the man.

The noble jerked in surprise as if he just realized that Kayami was there, which was insulting but she didn't care.

"L-Lady Kishii! It was...I mean to say..."

The blonde haired frowned at the sight, he seemed to be afraid of this woman. While Kougyoku watched from the sidelines with Kouha next to her, Kouen seemed to be ignoring it.

"Heh, that's what I thought."

Kayami then turned to the girl and said, "I am Kayami Kishii, it's nice to meet you." She smiled at her.

"Aaltja Lisku."

"Now that's all done, let's go Aaltja!" Kouha said as he grabbed both their wrist and dragged them after him.

"Wait for me, brother!" Kougyoku said as she followed after them.

Kayami felt bad for Aaltja, she had a feeling that she was going to be Kouha's new obsession...of sorts. Yeah, this was going to be fun and she'd have to watch over Aaltja until she got used to being in the Kou Empire.


	8. Night 9

Aaltja met Kaisei, which had been a bit awkward because the huge man didn't say much but he had a stern and no nonsense taking bearing to him.

Then Kouha dragged them to the sparring ring with Kougyoku following after them.

"Does he do that a lot?" Aaltja asked looking at Kayami.

"Yeah...you'll get used to it, he doesn't mean any harm but he will drag you if you trip." Kayami said.

Kouha smiled up at them and said, "You two should spar! It should be very interesting to watch!"

Kayami sighed heavily and shook her head, "Somehow I knew this was going to happen."

Aaltja looked at her with a frown and asked, "What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you later, let's get to sparring...how strong is that hammer of yours?" Kayami asked as she pointed at the hammer-staff that she was carrying.

"Strong enough...why?"

"We'll use our actual weapons...more fun that way," Kayami said as she unsheathed her Ki longsword and gripped her sword in a two handed hold.

"Alright," Aaltja said as she got her weapon ready. "Let's go this!" And without even waiting, both girls lunged at each other.

 ** _CLANG_**

Kayami and Aaltja jumped apart before they lunged forward and their respected weapons clashed once again, one with a longsword the other with a hammer/staff weapon.

Aaltja ducked a slice that would have beheaded her if she had been a second slower and aimed her weapon at Kayami's stomach but was blocked with the flat side of the Ki warrior's sword, though she did go skidding a few feet back.

"Should you guys be using real weapons?" Kougyoku asked nervously.

Aaltja leapt into the air and brought down her weapon heavily down onto Kayami's sword when the woman raised her weapon to block the airborne attack.

Kayami gritted her teeth and pushed back, pushing back the blonde hair girl and just when she was about to lung towards the other girl a voice behind her causes both girls to jolt in surprise and look towards the voice.

"What's going on here?"

Kouen was heading towards them with Koumei with their household members. She clicked her tongue and lowered her sword.

"We were sparring." Kayami finally said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"With real weapons?"

"Yes? Wooden swords aren't fun." Kayami said crossing her arms over her chest.

Aaltja nodded her head in agreement, she still wasn't comfortable around Kouen...he didn't show much emotion.

Kouen just stared at him and Kayami leaned over to Aaltja and stage-whispered, "Kouen has the perfect disapproving dad stare."

Kouen just stared at her.

Kayami sent him a cheeky smile and continued speaking. "Direct your attention to the narrowed eyes, flared nostrils, slowly reddening cheeks from anger." Kouen didn't look amused (he didn't look like anything to be honest) but she wasn't done yet. "Aye, the perfect specimen, he is! Perhaps it's a sign among his species that he's searching for a suitable mate!"

Aaltja was struggling hard not to laugh, as was Kouha and Kougyoku.

Kouen sighed and said, "Next time you two spar, use wooden swords." And with that he walked off, Aaltja and Kayami watch silently until he wasn't in sight before they erupted into their par. They weren't finished and wanted to finish it.

++++

Later the three girls were walking around, showing Aaltja around the rest of the palace. Aaltja was between the two girls, and noticing that while the nobles bowed to Kougyoku they sneakily snuck dirty looked at Kayami who ignored them.

Once they were alone, Aaltja looked at Kayami and asked, "Why don't they like you?"

"Oh...no reason." Kayami said as she shrugged her shoulder, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Didn't you throw your sword at him at one point?" Kougyoku asked as she looked at Kayami with a frown on her lips.

Kayami turned her head slowly and said, "Thanks for that, Gyoku."

Kougyoku smiled at her and said, "No problem!"

"Anyways, yeah...I threw my sword at them but that's not why they don't like me," Kayami said. "They don't like me because I became apart of the Ren family inner circle by not doing much...mostly the children, her siblings." She jerked her thumb towards Kougyoku.

"I wouldn't say that, Kaya...you were nice to us and wanted to be our friend when we were kids." Kougyoku smiled at her.

"How long have you been here?" Aaltja asked.

"Since I was a child...hard to remember when I came here, time flies when you're having fun and all that." Kayami winked at her with a smirk.

Aaltja nodded her head slowly, she wasn't going to stay for very long anyways.

Kayami threw an arm around her and said, "You and I are going to be great friends." She smiled hugely at her.

The blonde haired girl blinked at her in surprise, not having expected her to do that. Kougyoku was called away by Koubun, who avoided eye contact with Kayami and barely even looked at Aaltja. Both girls watched them leave before they start to walk away.

"Why do people seem to be afraid of you?"

The Ki warrior looked down at the girl and said, "Because I don't take anything from no one...expect for Kouen, you'll learn why as you get used to us but hopefully, you'll help me keep him on his toes." She winked when she said the last part. "Now I am taking you to my chambers where you will stay until your own room is made ready for you. You'll be placed in the same area, they don't trust you...and neither do they trust us even though we've been with here for a long time."

Kayami tucked her hands into her wide sleeves in front of her, causing her sleeves to overlap when she did so.

"Are there any good people here?" Aaltja asked.

"Sure...the Ren siblings and their household members but there are some who like to hide it," Kayami said as she walked. "You'll meet them sometime today or tomorrow, depends on how busy the Emperor makes them."

"Will I met the Emperor?"

"No and you won't be meeting the Empress either, not if I can help it and if someone does try to take you to met her you make up something and come looking for me," Kayami said. "Or Kouha, he might protect you better but be on your guard around her and her magicians, they give me goosebumps."

Aaltja slowly nodded her head, she didn't know why but Kayami didn't seem to like the Empress...or the Emperor.

The older girl is silent for a while before she says, "Oh and Kouha has a habit of visiting me during all hours of the day and night so that's something else you have to get used to until you get your own room...and he might do the same to you as well, at least that's what I think."

Kayami smiled at Aaltja which caused the girl to blink up at her, not understanding her at all. Both girls fall silent as they walked, both deep in their thoughts. Kayami was going to help Aaltja get used to her new surroundings so that she didn't get sent away by the Empress, who would do it if she felt that Kouha was getting too close to her.


	9. Night 10

Kayami was meditating with Kaisei in their garden, on a wooden platform in the middle of the pond. All around them were the sounds of birds and the water, and the sound of the fish breaking the surface to eat a foolish bug that landed on the surface.

She opened her eyes when she felt something land on the back of her hand and looked down to see a dragonfly had landed on her, she slowly and gently raised her hand to look at the flying bug. But as she was raising her hand the bug was startled by a loud noise and flew off.

Kaisei grunted next to her and opened his eyes, looking over towards the sound with his student and princess.

They saw Kougyoku and Aaltja walking towards them, Kayami stood up slowly while Kaisei remained seated.

"Your garden always looks to well-maintained, Kaya!" Kougyoku said.

Kayami smiled at them and said, "Thank you...we wanted something to remind us of our home country so we made it that way. Kaisei keeps it up."

Kaisei simply grunted as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Aaltja looked at Kayami and whispered, "Not much for words, is he?"

"No at least only when it counts." Kayami said with a sheepish smile. "Oh, I have been been meaning to ask you but I heard they found you in the Dungeon? What were you doing there?"

"Picking flowers, of course." Aaltja had a big grin on her lips and Kougyoku tried to swallow her laughter but failed terribly, Kayami sent her a feign glare.

"Ha ha, I meant why were you there in the first place?" Kayami asked with a smile small on her face, it seemed like she was opening up to them...little by little.

"Well, long story short: I have a goal to reach and i need power to do that. So I followed the wesp and they lead me to that Dungeon."

The last sentence got Kayami's attention and she tilted her head to the side, asking, "Excuse me, what are the Wesp?"

"Uhm, they are the ones who lead you to your destiny. I believe the rest of the world call them Rukh."

"Wait, if you can see the Rukh, than you are a Magician? But that means you can´t have a Contract with a Djinn."

Aaltja blushed and said a little loud in self-defense, "I didn't know that before!"

"How can somebody not know that you are a magician?" Kaisei finally said surprising the three girls who had forgotten that he was here. "You can't be that foolish, girl."

The blonde haired girl bristled at that and said, "I am not foolish!"

"You mean to tell me that you never once wondered why you could see the 'Wesp' and no one else could?" Kaisei said scoffing. "You are a child so being foolish is a given with girls your age."

Aaltja gritted her teeth before she lunged towards Kaisei, swing her hammer-staff off her back and bring it down to strike but a Ki long sword was there blocking her weapon.

 _ **CLANG**_

Blue meet brown as Aaltja and Kayami stared at each other, Kayami had drawn her sword to protect her master. Their arms quivered at they tried to overpower the other.

"Aaltja, calm down..." Kayami gritted out. "And Kaisei, hold your tongue."

"What? I spoke the truth," Kaisei said. "If she could lose control of her emotions than that proves that she is a child. She needs to go back to her parents."

Aaltja clicked her tongue before she pulled away from Kayami then she turned and ran off, the Ki warrior almost lost her balance but caught herself just in time before she face planted on the ground.

"The hell was that about?"

"She has no home to go to!" Kougyoku said as she glared at Kaisei before she turns and chases after Aaltja.

"...Kaisei, I will deal with you later." Kayami said in a low voice.

Kaisei looked up at her, she wasn't looking at him but he didn't see his student standing in front of him, he saw the rare vision of his Princess.

"Of course, Princess Kayami."

Kayami doesn't say anything else instead she goes after Kougyoku to try to find Aaltja to undo the damage.

Kayami and Kougyoku had meet up and decided to split up to look for Aaltja, they also decided not to bring any one else into their search either. So both girls looked all over the palace for her, trying not to draw attention to themselves as they did so.

It was Kayami that had found her, in the back of the palace...away from the eyes of everyone. She watched her in silence, it looked like she had been crying, before she walks over to her and sits down next to her.

"I am sorry about Kaisei...he's got a terrible way of talking to people." Kayami said.

"Yeah...he'll make a terrible father that's for sure."

Kayami looked up at the sky and said, "I think that's why he never married...he knew he'd make a bad father."

They sat there silently.

"What did Gyoku mean when she said that you didn't have a home to go to? And why isn't it that you had no idea that you were a Magician?" Kayami asked gently.

Aaltja winced at the memory before she swallows and said, "My Island is pretty shut off from the world. Not even Kouen had heard of us before. The only people who know of our existence are the Imuchack and...the Reim Empire." She pauses. "They destroyed my home, killed everybody and kidnapped the children."

Kayami glanced at her from the corner of her eyes and said, "My Island is shut off as well or we used to be until my father made contact with the Kou Empire and I was sent to them with Kaisei because my father didn't want to part with my older brother and who cares if the bastard child of the Emperor and a warrior woman should die during her time here? I later found out that almost all of my mother's clan was wiped out and that the rest had left the Island for the main land." She paused. "I survived of course because I had Kaisei but mostly because I had formed a bond with the children of the Emperor's children and that of his brother's..."

She trailed off before she lifted her hand and gently placed it on the silently crying girl's head, she gently brought her towards her until Aaltja's head rested on her armored chest.

"I know you want to leave, I myself had wanted to leave when I first arrived here but in the end I stayed," Kayami whispered. "Maybe you will find a reason to remain as well..."

Aaltja is silent before she said, "If you say so..." She pulled away from her and wiped her eyes. "You are to never mention this to anyone!" Both girls stood up and dusted themselves off.

Kayami chuckled and said, "Aww but I was so sure that Kouha would want to know about your cute vulnerable side~"

"You better not tell him!" Aaltja shouted.

"Mmm, nope~ he needs to know~" Kayami said with a smirk.

The blonde haired girl swung her hammer-staff off her back and brought it down at Kayami who barely had time to unsheathe her Ki longsword to block the attack.

"Aww, you're blushing~!" Kayami cooed. "So cute!"

"S-shut up!"

They erupted into a very destructive fight that completely destroyed the area that they were in, to say Kouen wasn't happy about it would have been a major understatement of the century. But what he didn't know was that was just the precursor of what would be a friendship that would last a long time.


	10. Night 11

"How did you meet Kouha and Kougyoku?" Aaltja said. "Oh and Koumei too."

Kayami paused in her cleaning to look over at Aaltja who was sitting on the bench at the end of her bed.

"What about Kouen?" Kayami asked lifting an eyebrow.

"The man himself told me how you met on our way back here though he never said your name which was odd..." Aaltja said with a frown.

Kayami sighed heavily and said, "That sounds like something he'd do actually so I'm not surprised." She put the sword cleaning kit away. "You sure? It's nothing special..."

"Yeah...I want to know how they were like as kids," Aaltja said. "Though I have a feeling that Kouha would be the same..."

"He might." Kayami said with a shrug and a mysterious smile.

She cleared her throat and started her story...

 _Kayami was walking through the Palace the next day, Kaisei was talking to the Emperor and had told her to explore the Palace so that she could get used to it (aka not get lost and he'd be forced to go looking for her whenever she wasn't with him). She wore a plain Ki robe and woven sandals, her black hair was pulled back into a bun by a plain thin red rope._

 _As she walked by a corridor, she heard voices and looked over to see a group of Kou nobles talking amongst themselves and looking towards the back area of the corridor in front of the them. Kayami followed their gaze and saw a small figure patting the head of a woman who was acting odd, her brown eyes narrowed as she took in the scene before her. It was obvious that the nobles were talking about the woman and child so she turned towards them and headed in the direction, she could see the child getting ready to attack them (if the look on the child's face was anything to go by). The child is the first to notice Kayami and narrowed their pink eyes at her, obviously waiting to see if she'd join the cruel adults instead the Ki girl moved to block the nobles view of the child and woman._

 _"Leave." Kayami said as she spread her arms wide, fixing a level stare at the nobles._

 _"Leave'?! A political hostage ordering around her captors?! How amusing!" One of the nobles said before he laughed._

 _Kayami narrowed her brown eyes at him and said, "You're no one to me so I do not have to be respectful to you." Their eyes widen, clearly not used to a child talking to them in such a manner. She doesn't talk like a child her age, her stare wasn't normal for a child either. "The only people I will obey is the royal family not some cowards who are only brave when they are bullying a child and woman."_

 _The nobles gritted their teeth at her words before they turned and stormed off with the parting words of 'The Emperor will hear of this!', Kayami stared at them until they turned the corner before she lowered her arms and turned to face the child and woman._

 _"Are you okay?" Kayami asked._

 _The child stared up at her in shock while the woman next to him acted like a baby would, Kayami glanced at the woman before she moved towards her. Her path was immediately blocked by the child and now that Kayami had a closer look of the child it was obvious that it was a boy and a year younger than she was. And that he was very protective of his mother as well._

 _So Kayami simply smiled at him and said, "I'm Kayami Kishii, a Ki Princess." She slipped her hands into her wide sleeves and bowed respectfully._

 _The boy blinked before he looked at his mother and said, "...I'm Kouha's mother and this is Kouha." He patted the woman's hair as she cooed at him, Kayami doesn't react to it instead she kept her friendly smile. There were women like this back at her Clan's home so she was used to this sort of behavior._

 _"It's too cold for Kouha to be out here, I'll help you bring him inside." Kayami said with a smile as she moved forward once more, slowly and nonthreatening so Kouha could see that she meant neither him or his mother any harm._

 _"Thank you! You're such a sweet girl!"_

 _So Kouha and Kayami somehow brought his mother back inside (she didn't know how since they were both shorties) and had gotten her on the bed. Kouha and Kayami were both sitting on either side of her, treating her like a baby. Kayami remembered a song that her mother used to sing to her so she started to sing it for Kouha's mother._

 _~Father once said to me. Many moons ago. A warrior's hand will defend.~ Kayami sang. ~Mother said one day. There is more that you must know. A maiden's hand will sustain.~ She felt the woman start to relax against her. ~Two hands together. Incomplete alone. Balance and union. And the gate will open~ Kayami ran her fingers through the woman's hair. ~Go my children go. Go to crimson flames. To save our children. The lights of memory remain.~ She trailed off on a low note, looking down at the woman and saw that she had fallen asleep._

 _"That was a lovely song." Kouha said with a smile._

 _"Thank you." Kayami smiled at him. "My mother used to sing it to me." She crawled off the bed before she turned around and patted Kouha's head, smiling. "I have to go but I promise to visit you and Kouha everyday."_

 _Kouha beamed up at her, "Okay."_

 _She smiled and waved before walking out of the room, and out of their part of the Palace. Kayami had wanted to talk to him as Kouha, not as 'his mother' but she didn't know him well enough to do that. She smiled at the thought of getting to know both boy and his mother better..._

"...he sounds cute." Aaltja said as if surprised that she even thought a young Kouha would be cute.

Kayami laughed uproariously at that and said, "Yeah, hard to believe eh? But he was cute as a child...and more girlish looking too." She smiles at the memory. "Koumei was also pretty cute...gloomy but cute...oh and lazy too." Kayami giggles at a memory of how he acted when he first met Hakuren and Hakuyuu, it was pretty amusing to see Hakuren get into Koumei's 'sickness' and 'death'.

Aaltja snorted at that, agreeing with her though to the blonde he looked girlish even now.

"And now on to how I met Gyoku..."

 _Kayami was wandering around an area of the palace that didn't seem to get many traffic through it, which suited her just fine because she didn't want to deal with the nobles of the Kou Empire sneering at her and looking down at her...the latter wasn't really hard to do since she was small to begin with._

 _She ended up in front of a door and pushed it open, she blinked at the sight before her. There were handmade dolls and other scraps of fabric strewn all over the floor in the room. Kayami looked to her left when she saw movement from the corner of her eye and had seen a small, pink figure darting into the back room. She picked up one of the dolls and walked over there, making sure to make so that she doesn't surprise whoever it was that lived her._

 _"I'm sorry for entering without permission, I didn't know that there was someone here," Kayami said as she entered the back room and crouched down to peek under a table that was next to the doorway. Smiling when she saw that it was a young girl, with very messy red hair, that she had seen, she appeared to be a year younger than she was...and very shy too. She looked ready to run away so Kayami backed away a bit to give her some room, she didn't want to make her feel trapped._

 _"I'm Kayami Kishii, what's your name?" Kayami asked._

 _No response for a few, silent minutes then a soft whisper came from the girl, "...Kougyoku Ren..."_

 _Tilting her head to the side, Kayami placed the doll that she had picked up next to her, happy that she got a response from her. "That's a well crafted doll...did you make it?" She wasn't going to ask questions that required a verbal response from the girl, she didn't want to make her even more nervous her then she already was._

 _Kougyoku nodded her head, she no longer looked like that she wanted to run away but Kayami stayed where she was._

 _"It's really pretty...you're really good at making dolls."_

 _"...Thank you..." The young girl finally looked at Kayami and smiled at her._

 _"KAYAMI!"_

 _Kougyoku jolted at the loud voice and darted under her bed, quivering in fear._

 _Kayami let's out a loud sigh and said, "Thanks a lot, Kaisei...I was just making progress with her." She stands up and straightens her clothing. "Sorry, Gyoku...Kaisei may be loud but he isn't scary." Kayami waits for a few minutes to see if she'll respond or get out from under the bed but nothing happened with she shrugged with a small smile. "Okay then I got to go but I'll try to visit you later, Gyoku! Bye!"_

 _She turns to leave but stops when she feels a tug on her sleeve, "Hm?" Kayami looks over her shoulder and sees Kougyoku standing there, holding the doll that Kayami had first picked up with the hand that wasn't holding her sleeve._

 _"Hm? Are you giving that to me?"_

 _A nod._

 _"Are you sure?"_

 _Another nod._

 _"Thanks!"_

 _Kayami takes it with a smile and pats Kougyoku's head in an affectionate manner, which surprised the girl who jerked away from her._

 _"Whoops, sorry..." Kayami laughs while rubbing the back of her head._

 _"...No, it's okay...I didn't mind..."_

 _She blinks in surprise before she smiles widely and does it again, "Good! Well, I have to go now but I'll make sure to visit you later! Bye, Gyoku!" Kayami turns and run out of the room, leaving Kougyoku alone in her room._

 _The young girl looks around her room for a few minutes before finding what she had been looking for: unused fabrics...she will make two new dolls now! One will look like that unexpected visitor, that girl, while the other one would look like Kougyoku..._

"Do you have the dolls?"

Kayami stood up and walked over to a chest where she unlocked it and opened it, she reached in and pulled out said dolls. One looked just like her when she was younger but both dolls looked well-taken care of.

She walked over to Aaltja and showed it to her, "Here...my two greatest treasures. I keep it hidden." Kayami smiled fondly at them before she offered them to Aaltja to take.

"It's well made..." Aaltja said impressed as she looks it over.

"Yes...she was always alone so she learned how to make dolls." Kayami said softly.

Aaltja noticed a change in her tone and looked up to see that the older girl had a serious look on her face. She didn't understand but it was obvious that the reason was Kougyoku left alone was something that Kayami didn't like.

The blonde handed the dolls back and said, "You have such a history with them and had formed a level of trust with them...but how can you trust me who you have just met? You know nothing about me."

Kayami took the dolls and put them on her bed as she looked at Aaltja and said, "Do I need to know you well-enough to trust you? We had already opened to each other yesterday but I didn't do it because I trusted you...I did it because I have this feeling that you and I will be great friends." She smiled gently at Aaltja who just stared at her in surprise.

This girl was weird...she wasn't like any other girls that the blonde knew, not even the ones here in the Kou Empire that she had meet in passing. Kayami was the only one who never once looked at Aaltja like she was a dirty savage or curled her lip at the clothes she wore, in fact she never once said anything about her clothing.

"You got the same look on your face as Koumei when he thinks I am acting weird..." Kayami said in a thoughtful manner as she looked at Aaltja.

"!" Aaltja jerked in surprise. "Heh, you get that a lot I take it?"

"You'll be surprised on how often he gives me that look...Kouen gives me the same look too actually." Kayami said with a smirk.

Aaltja tried to picture Kouen giving Kayami such a look but she just couldn't picture it, he just looked too weird and funny. Kayami noticed that she was trying hard not to laugh but she didn't comment on it instead she started to talk to her about random things, like everyday Kou life.

"Oh, I know that I told you to make something up if you should ever met the Empress's Magicians but what I really meant was to smash them with that hammer of yours." Kayami said out of the blue during a silence in their conversation.

Aaltja just stared at her silently for a few minutes before she nodded her head in agreement and said, "...okay." She thought about what she had said about the two of them being great friends and Aaltja couldn't help but agree though she didn't say it out-loud after all she was planning on leaving.


	11. Night 12

Kayami was stripping out of her chest armor, she needed to get it altered because she seemed to have grown again...seriously why was she still growing, albeit slowly but still growing. She then strips out of her clothing and walks over to a large, deep bowl filled almost to the brim with water. She picked up a cloth and wet it before she rubbed a bar of soap on it and lathered it up a little, she started to wash her body with it humming softly. Kayami repeated this motion numerous times before she dried off and got dressed into one of her normal robes, something that she rarely wears.

As she leaves her chambers, she grabbed her Ki long sword and tied it to the string over her obi. She walked down the hall and started to search for Aaltja, she wanted to see if she had decided to remain in at the end.

Kayami found her eventually in her garden, she smiled as she walked over to her and said, "I thought you wanted to leave."

"Well, I figured I can remain here for the time being before I left." Aaltja said as she turned to look at Kayami only her eyes to widen in surprise.

The Ki warrior blinked and then she looked down, saying simply, "Oh..."

"Oh'?! Is that all you have to say about that?!" Aaltja shouted as she pointed towards her chest. "How were you even able to hide those things?!"

"Umm...the armor kind of keeps them squished and I normally wear chest bandages under it as well." Kayami said as she looked down at her chest and then looked at Aaltja.

Aaltja was in shock about how well the older girl hide the size of her breasts, seriously she didn't even think it was possible but somehow she did it. And she was going to say something else about it when a very familiar voice interrupted her.

"Kaya! Tja!"

She groaned when she saw that it was Kouha and that he had quite literally face-planted in Kayami's chest...and given how Kayami didn't show much of a reaction expect to smile and pat the Third Prince on the head that he had done this numerous times before. He wasn't alone because Kougyoku was following right behind him.

Kougyoku stopped next to Aaltja and smiled at her in greeting.

"What were you two talking about?" Kouha asked as he pulled away from her and looked at the two girls.

Aaltja looked to Kayami to see if she wanted to tell him or not...she didn't know just how relaxed her relationship was with them.

Kayami smiled and says, "Just that Aaltja was going to remain with us a little while longer, Kouha."

Kouha beamed at Aaltja and said, "Good! That means we can play and get to know each other better!"

"I'm not a doll for you to play with!" Aaltja shouted angrily before she spun on her heel and stormed off leaving Kayami, Kougyoku and Kouha to stare after her. Kouha looked slightly guilty because he didn't mean to get her angry, why can't most girls be like Kayami? She never minded him playing dress up with her even when they were kids.

"Listen, it might be none of my business, but did something happen between you two in the Dungeon?" Kayami said as she looked over at Kouha.

The group decided to go out in the garden's pavilion. Kayami loved this place, it was perfect to enjoy some tea while watching the bird's in the sunlight. It was also a good place for some private talk out of the way of prying ears.

"I don't exactly know if I insulted her. I was acting as always."

Kougyoku lifted her cup of tea and said, "Well, Brother, we are used to your behavior, but to a stranger you might be a little stressful." Then she sipped on it.

Kouha made a pouting face at her and said, "I Have honestly no idea what you mean!"

"Now now," Kayami interrupted with a smile. "How about you tell us what happened from the start? Then we can decide if you were rude or a totally ass to her."

"Shouldn't you say: or not?!"

Kayami laughed at that.

"Now tell us! I want to hear your Version too!" Gyoku's eyes where full of eagerness.

"Okay, just let me think about it..."  
 _  
_After Kouha tells the first part of his story, both girls stare at him before Kougyoku broke it.

"Brother En wanted you to kill her?!" Kouha had to cover his ears to defend them from his sister's high voice.

Kayami, on the other hand, was pretty calm. Sure, it sounded pretty harsh but on the other hand it was reasonable why the first Prince had made this decision. Judar might be a jerk but if he sensed something than you should take it serious. He IS a Magi after all...a crazy, blood thirsty one but a magi nonetheless.

"Would you let me continue now, Sis?" the pink haired prince sounded a little annoyed, which Kougyoku noticed and smiled a bit sheepishly at him.

"Oh yes, please go on."

Now that their attention was back, Kouha sat up straight and cleared his throat.

Kayami tried not to giggle. _I think he's enjoying to be listened to. Or he just likes to tell stories_.

"Okay, so the next time we saw her was while we were fighting our way to the treasure hall, when the earth started shaking..."

Once again Kouha paused in his story as he took a sip of his tea, Kayami had her eyes closed as she listened...most likely picturing what he was telling her in her head...trying to see why Aaltja who be so hostile towards Kouha.

"And did you made it?" Kougyoku asked heart full of interest.

"Would I be sitting here if not?" Kouha laughed. Sometimes his sister could be really silly! "So, anything so far?" he looked at Kayami who had opened her eyes.

"Nope, didn't notice anything inappropriate yet." She had laid her head in the palm of her hands. "Did you notice something, Gyoku?"

"Not either! But we're sure will find it, just keep going!"

Kouha started to tell the story once more but it would appear that he either repeated it or something because both girls yelled at him.

"We get it!" Kayami and Kougyoku shouted in union. "Now continue with the story!"

"Alright, Alright..."

He started to tell his story once again as his sister and guardian watched him with great interest, maybe they'll learn something in the next part...

Kayami had finished her tea long ago and was now staring at Kouha. That was something Junjun would say, honestly she couldn't blame her for mistaking Kouha for a girl...he did look a bit girly.

"You know what? The more I listen the less scene it makes! I didn't spot anything that could have insulted her!"

"Yes," Kougyoku agreed. "From so far I would say that you two got along. I don't see why she would despise you."

"Despise is a really harsh word, Gyoku!" Kayami complained. "Try hate."

"Okaaay, I will get more tea." Kouha stood up and walked fast back to the palace.

"But you still have to tell the end of the story!" Gyoku whined.

"I'll make it fast!" The Prince snorted, so the girls looked to each other.

"Did we do something wrong?"

"I think he is just frustrated, since we still don't know why Aaltja is so antisocial." Kayami leaned back on her arms and stared at the ceiling of the pavilion.

"Yeah..." Gyoku looked down to her empty teacup. "I hope we find it out soon."

Kouha returned with a new set of tea and once they all had fresh cups, he started to tell his story again.

"Pfffft! Hahahaha! She actually killed and feed you one of the Djinn monsters?! Hahaha!" Kayami laughed so hard that she fell out of her chair and rolled from side to side still laughing.

"You don't need to laugh that hard!" Kouha and Kougyoku shouted at her.

"Heh, sorry sorry~" Kayami said as she climbs back onto her seat and clears her throat. "Continue, please." She smiles at Kouha sweetly.

"Hmph."

But he continues his story anyways despite the fact that Kayami looked like she really wanted to laugh again.

"Ehhh? She really didn't know that she was a Magician?" Kougyoku said once there was another pause.

"Yeah and she really hated that idea." Kouha said as he thought back on it.

Kayami slowly nodded her head and said, "I can see why she hated it...she's a warrior so of course she'd think Magicians are weak and Judar doesn't inspire confidence for Magicians everywhere."

Kouha and Kougyoku both nodded their heads in agreement at that. That was certainly true, Judar was awfully weak physically...they remembered how Kayami was able to hold him down quite easily.

"Continue with your story, Kou." Kayami said.

A few hours later, Kayami was rubbing her butt and wincing..sheesh, she didn't think that he'd take that long to finish it up probably enjoyed having an audience that was so eager to hear his story. Despite the fact that he only had agreed to tell them it because he needed help to figure out why Aaltja was so anti-social.

They didn't see anything wrong when he was done because after they got out of the dungeon, he invited her to come with them and since Aaltja didn't know where else she could go, she had said Yes but then Kouha added in a off hand manner that he had seen Judar talk to her while they were returning to camp. That didn't sit well with the Ki warrior and she made a note to ask the good for nothing Magi what he had said to the girl.

Kayami wanted to watch Aaltja, maybe that'll help her come to a conclusion.

She wasn't paying attention on where she was walking and neither was said blonde because they crashed into each other, Aaltja quickly jumped away when she realized that she had more or less face-planted in Kayami's breasts.

Those things were monsters! How could she even walk with them being that big?! Didn't her back hurt?

"Sorry, Tja...I wasn't paying attention where I was walking." Kayami said with a smile.

Aaltja frowned when Kayami had shortened her name and the Ki warrior noticed.

"Oh, sorry...it's a habit, I tend to shorten the names of people that I like and respect." Kayami said smiling at her.

"...oh, thank you?" Aaltja said confused, not sure how to respond.

"Where were you going?" Kayami asked suddenly changing the subject.

"I was just taking a walk...I met the rest of Kouha's sisters and Gyoku is cool but I don't know about them..." She trailed off.

"Ah, don't worry about them...they're still not used to me." Kayami said with a smirk.

"They're not? But weren't you raised with them?"

"Yes, I was but I met Kougyoku, Kouen, Koumei and Kouha when we were kids while I met the rest of their sisters when we were teenagers so the bond I have with them isn't as strong as I have with those four," Kayami explained. "Also I was a mouthy teenager too so I certainly didn't help." She winked at her with a smirk.

Aaltja smiled slightly at that, happy that Kayami was so understanding.

"Come on, Kurodayu hasn't been checked since yesterday and I want to make sure he hasn't killed anyone..." Kayami said as she motions to Aaltja to follow her.

Which she did after hesitating a bit, the war horse was an interesting animal even though he was hostile to everyone else expect for a select group. In fact, Aaltja couldn't help but notice that the horse liked whoever his master liked and disliked the same people as well. Though Kurodayu had taken an immediate shine to Aaltja, almost knocking her over when they had first met and nickering softly at her for attention.

Kayami had only smiled at that while she watched her horse nuzzle against the blonde haired girl.

The Ki warrior was indeed weird always smiling and laughing as she watched over Aaltja...


	12. Night 13

Kayami was walking through the outside corridor of the Palace, she was alone for once since Aaltja was hiding from Kouha who was trying to get her to play dress up with him. She wasn't wearing her normal Ki clothing, she was wearing Kou robes since according to Kaisei the Empress was once more trying to get her sent back to Ki Island because Kayami didn't wear their clothing even though she was technically a apart of their Empire now.

She paused and looked up at the dark sky, it looked like it was going to rain...she could smell it in the air. Kayami hoped that Aaltja wasn't anywhere outside because she didn't want her to get sick, Kouha would try to take care of it and Kayami didn't want the blonde to get traumatized. Kougyoku would either try to help or come get Kayami since she had a better medical knowledge than the two of them combined since she was always taking care of them when they were sick.

Kayami smiled as she remembered a dark and stormy day a long time ago...

 _Kayami jerked in surprise when her bedroom window were violently thrown open by a gust of wind, there was a large storm brewing outside. She kicks off her sheets before she picks up a candle holder and lights the wick then she walks over to the window and closes it after she looks out, making sure to cup her hand protectively in front of the flame. It was dark out, even more so since it was night time, and it was very windy and rainy._

 _She closed the window with a sigh before she climbed into bed, she couldn't help but think that this storm would have been well received by the locals if it had arrived a few weeks prier...when the Emperor and the two Princes were killed during a revolt, that way a young prince wouldn't have lost his older brothers during that fire._

 _ **Knock knock**_

 _Kayami sat up when she heard someone knocking on her door, she frowned a little. Who could it be at this hour? She didn't know who was up since she had just recently moved into the main palace, the new Emperor had wanted the ten year old girl and her mentor close by. She crawled out of the bed and walked to the door, she opened it and looked out...and blinked in surprise when she sees who it was._

 _Standing in front of her was the Third Imperial Prince Kouha Ren and the Eighth Imperial Princess Kougyoku Ren._

 _"Can I help you?" Kayami whispered, not wanting to wake Kaisei up who was sleeping in the next room._

 _Before either one of the younger kids could answer, lighting crashed and thunder roared causing them to jerk in fear and surprise before they rush towards Kayami and cling to her white yukata's sleeves on either side of her._

 _She smiled and moved her arms so that she could hold their hands before she smiled at them and looked at them, "You wanna sleep with me tonight?"_

 _Kouha and Kougyoku nodded their heads vigorously before they release her hands and dart to her bed and climb under the sheets. She closed the door before she walked to her bed, she blew out the candle and climbed into bed. Kayami made sure that she was between them so that they would be able to nestle against her if they wanted to...which they did._

 _She could feel them shaking and quivering at her sides, causing her to shake as well. Kayami smiled and patted their heads affectionately before she opened her mouth and began to sing, softly of course so that she wouldn't wake up Kaisei._

 _" Father once said to me. Many moons ago. A warrior's hand will defend, " Kayami sang. " Mother said one day. There is more that you must know. A maiden's hand will sustain. " She felt them start to relax against her but they were still tense because of the lighting and thunder. " Two hands together. Incomplete alone. Balance and union. And the gate will open. " Kayami wrapped her arms around them and brought them a closer to her, protecting them from the storm raging outside. " Go my children go. Go to crimson flames. To save our children. The lights of memory remain... " She trailed off on a low note before she looks at the two younger kids next to her only to see that they had fallen asleep sometime during her song. Kayami gently kissed their foreheads before she leaned back down and closed her eyes, the rain hitting the roof lulling the young girl into a deep slumber as she kept her arms wrapped around the two young children that were sleeping against her sides..._

She smiled at the memory since then every time it stormed or even rained, Kouha and Kougyoku always snuck into her bed and have her sing that lullaby to them...even though they are now older. Kayami shook her head and chuckled, she certainly spoiled those two by allowing them to get away with a lot of things with her.

Maybe that's why Kouha was trying to get Aaltja to play dress up because she practically allowed him to do whatever he wanted ever since their first meeting.

Whoops...hopefully, Aaltja doesn't realize that.

Later that day, it started to rain, Kayami was hanging out in the First Imperial Prince's private library and spending time with her favorite 'monsters'.

She was lying on top of Shou En, who was sitting down so that she could do this. Kayami was on his right shoulder with her elbows propped and her chin nestled in the middle of her palms as she watched Kouen read.

Shou En had a dragon-like appearance, and has a tail, scales all over his body and sharp teeth. His eyes have a light color. He usually wears Kou's traditional clothing and has a shoulder protector on his left shoulder.

Standing in front of them was Seishuu Ri whose main feature was his hair, which is made of snakes...something that Kayami had tried to see if she could still braid much to his annoyance. He's taller than an ordinary person, though Shou was the hugest of Kouen's monsters, had pointed ears, wears the Kou's traditional clothing and has a shoulder protector on his right shoulder.

And standing next to Sei was Kin Gaku has the appearance of a huge and robust man. He had a pig nose, a round face and his moustache, hair and teeth are dark. He wears the typical Kou's dress but without sleeves, which show his robust arms. He also wears an armor that covers his chest, with a scarf on the neck. He also wears a head scarf and carries a sort of spear.

Kokuton Shuu, who was standing to the left of Kayami and Shou, had a bull-like appearance; lion-like hair, a tail and his entire body is covered in fur. He had a horn on each side of his head. He wears Kou's traditional clothing and has a shoulder protector on his right shoulder. He had Kou's emblem in the chest of his armor.

She leaned forward and grabbed one of the snakes that made Sei's hair, Shou had to reach up and held her waist so that she wouldn't slide off.

"Sei! Let me braid your hair!" She shouted.

"No! Besides you have Lord Shou, so mess with him!"

Shou didn't say anything about how Seishuu threw him in the line of fire, in a manner of speaking. But he and the others were used to this since Kayami was a child, she was more open with her affections and emotions during that time and had continued doing it as she got older. Though to be honest they had thought that she would be afraid and avoid them after they assimilated but Kayami treated them the same way...to her there was no difference expect their appearance.

"Mmm...Don't wanna."

"What?! Why is it that you bother me more than the others?!"

"Because your reactions amuse me~" Kayami said with a smirk. She then waves her hand towards the other three. "They're pretty much used to my little habits with them and thus don't really give me reactions expect for acceptance...unlike you~" Kayami winked and smirked at Seishuu.

Seishuu looked at his fellow Household members who all shrug or nod their heads in response to Kayami's words.

"That's crap! And the answer is still 'no' for the braiding my hair!"

She tugged at his snake strand causing his to wince at her punishment for him that she did whenever he didn't let her braid his hair before she removed her hand and slide down Shou's back. She walked over to Kin who sat down in a lotus position so that Kayami could sit on his legs, something she did when she was a child...she still did it but only when they were alone.

Kouen was watching their interactions from the corner of his eye, it still amazed and amused him how Kayami treated them and how they treated her in turn.

"Kin, Sei is no fun...he's a stick in the mud~" Kayami said.

Kin patted her head and said, "He's just a brat so don't take it to heart."

"Who are you calling a brat and a stick in the mud?!" Seishuu yelled at them both.

Kin hit Seishuu's shoulder and said, "And just who do you think you are yelling at, fucking snake brat?"

"Ow! That hurt, Lord Kin!"

Kayami snickered which earned her a glare from Seishuu, to which she responded by going to Kokuton were she stood behind him and peeked at Seishuu from behind him.

"Why are you hiding now?!"

"Because I don't want you to grab me...you tend to forget your strength sometimes, Sei..." Kayami said with a shiver as she remembered that day.

"Oh come on! You still going on about that? That happened a long time ago!"

"You almost dislocated my shoulder, you brute...and I need both to use my sword!"

Kokuton reached behind him and patted the top of her head, gently though since he didn't want to harm her. Shou, Kin and Kokuton were the only ones who remembered their strength and were gentle with her...Seishuu tries to remember but sometimes he forgets and will touch Kayami with full strength. Of course, Kayami has no trouble reminding them if they touched her with their full strength by introducing her foot to their faces...Seishuu is the only one that get a foot to the face.

Shou noticed Kouen was watching them and said, "What is it, Lord Kouen?"

"Nothing." Kouen said as he goes back to reading from the Toran scrolls. Kayami returns to Shou's shoulder, returning her original position and going back to watching Kouen.

It was silent before a few minutes before Kouen spoke again but this time at Kayami, "What do you think of my Household members?"

Kayami blinked at that and tilted her head to the side, "Umm...their my family?"

Kouen could tell that she was confused but he just nodded his head and said, "Is that it?" He could see the silent question on the faces of his Household members.

"Well, they are strong but to me that doesn't matter because they are my family."

Kouen stifled a smile, that was such a Kayami response. Strength only mattered to her in a fight, any other time she could have cared less who was strong or not in her new family.

"And what do you think of me?"

"A Tyrant." Kayami said without hesitation.

 _No hesitation what so ever, I'm surprised he hadn't killed her yet_ , the four Household members thought together.

They hoped that Aaltja wouldn't be like that but something deep down told them that they shouldn't be holding their breathes when it came to the blonde.

Kouen chuckled at that and said, "I see..." And that was all he said before he went back to reading, leaving Kayami confused at the reasoning behind those questions and just as she was ready to ask him why, Kouha poked his head in and smiled when he saw Kayami.

"Big Brother En, can I borrow Kaya since I can't find Tja?"

Kayami stifled a smile at that, looked like Aaltja was hiding quite well from the pink haired Prince.

"Go ahead...she isn't doing anything anyways." Kouen said.

"Yay! Fun times! I was starting to be bored!" Kayami said as she hoped off Shou and trotted over to Kouha who she gave a big hug and rubs her cheek against his, both of her eyes were closed while Kouha closed only one eye in response to her cheek rubbing. Another thing she does with the younger Kou siblings since they were younger, she did it to Kouen and Koumei when they were younger but had stopped after the deaths of the first Emperor and his sons when Kouen and Koumei became the first and second Imperial Prince and had all eyes on them.

She released him and Kouha grabbed her hand as he said, "Thanks, Big Brother En! We'll be leaving now!" He waves bye as he leads her out of the room. Kayami waved as well with a big smile on her face as she allowed him to lead her.

The sound of their retreating footsteps soon faded from their hearing before Shou looked at Kouen and asked what they all were thinking, "Why were you asking her that?"

Kouen looked up briefly before he looked back down, "Because I wanted to see if she still thought the same way she did as a child." He was silent for a few seconds before he added. "Though her view of me seemed to have changed."

No one said anything at that as Kouen went silent again and continued to read the scroll.


End file.
